w in the cockpit he had no difficulty in lighting
the wick.

The lantern was a bullseye, and as soon as Ned turned the flashing glare
on the surrounding darkness the mystery was solved. The Pioneer was
lodged in mid channel on a timber dam. The bow projected a foot or two
over the edge, but could go no further owing to lack of water. None was
running over at all at this point, and the slimy timbers protruded six
or eight inches above the level of the creek.

While Ned was making these investigations the wind ceased, and he heard
close at hand a steady roaring noise, like the furious patter of rain on
a tin roof. But it was not rain that produced the noise, though big
drops were even then beginning to fall.

A twist of the lantern to the left sent a luminous bar of light along
the breast of the darn, and revealed a jagged break, fully six feet
wide, through which the freed water poured with the speed of a millrace.
The chasm was barely a dozen feet from where the Pioneer had lodged, and
Ned's first thought was one of gratitude for his own escape. Then he
remembered with a thrill of horror what had happened a moment or two
before. Which of his companions had been carried through the break, and
where was the unfortunate lad now?

As Ned stood with the lantern turned on the fatal spot, a shout rang out
behind him, and the next instant the Water Sprite grounded on the edge
of the dam beside the Pioneer.

"I'm glad you lit that lantern, Ned," exclaimed Randy breathlessly. "I
came pretty near paddling back up the creek. But where are the other
fellows?"

Ned pointed to the broken dam and huskily related what had occurred.

Randy was horror stricken.

"I heard that cry for help, too," he said, "but I had no idea what it
meant. Are you sure one of the boys went through?"

"I saw the canoe plainly," replied Ned. "There was just one cry for
help, and after that I could get no answer when I shouted."

"We'll hope for the best," said Randy stoutly. "Perhaps he made the
plunge all right, and is half a mile down the creek by this time. Great
Caesar! I hope both the boys didn't go through. No, there's a light now
on the left shore. It's either Nugget or Clay with a lantern."

"Paddle over and bring him back with you," directed Ned. "If he tries to
come himself he'll go through the break. Be sure to keep away above the
dam though, and when you return don't let my lantern mislead you,
because I intend to wade along the breas