ight just as well remember they
had some bad storms. I don't like the look of that bank of clouds."

They all noted the heavy ridges of black clouds to the west. The wind
changed, coming down the river in squalls which tore up the surface of
the water and threw the bow of the boat off its course.

"Steady, Rob! Slow down!" called out Uncle Dick, who had begun to pull
the tarpaulin over the cargo. "I can't judge the water in this wind.
_Look out, all!_"

Suddenly there came a jolt and a jar which drove them from their seats.
The propellers had struck a sand bar and plowed into it. Caught by the
wind, the bow of the boat swung around into the current. Careening, the
lower rail went under and the water came pouring in.

CHAPTER IX

SHIPWRECK

"Hold her, boys!" called out Uncle Dick. "Overboard! Hold her up!"

Even as he spoke he had plunged overboard on the upstream side, throwing
his weight on the rail. The water caught him nearly waist deep, for the
treacherous bar shelved rapidly.

It was not so deep where Rob went in, but Jesse and John, thoughtlessly
plunging in on the lower side, were swept under the boat, which all the
strength of the other two could not hold back against the combined power
of the current and the wind.

Without warning they were cast into an accident which in nine cases out
of ten would have meant death to some or all of them.

The boat was filling fast, and the great weight of the outboard motors
buried her stern, so she was about to swamp in midstream. Uncle Dick in
horror saw the set faces of two of his young friends at the rail beyond
him, their legs under the boat, which was swinging on them, their terror
showing in their eyes. He made one grasp across the boat, and luckily
caught Jesse's hand. Their combined weight held the boat down by the
bow, and she swung downstream, half full but not sinking.

"Swim for it, John, as soon as we reach the island!"

The voice of Uncle Dick rose high and clear. A willow-clad island lay
below, toward which the boat now was setting. He knew the boys all could
swim, and they were all lightly dressed, with canvas sneakers and no
coat.

"All right!" replied John, confidently, now getting his legs free. "I
can make it." Indeed, it did not seem the boat could carry another
pound. Rob was swimming on the upstream side, one hand on the stern.
Keeping low in the water, they floated on down in the black squall of
wind and rain which now came on t