He was chilled to the bone, numb, and sick with exhaustion; but for
such a royal cheer as greeted him, and the praises that his companions
showered upon him, he would have dared and suffered twice as much. At
the same moment, as if to encourage such brave deeds, the sun shone out
warm and bright, transforming the whole character of the scene with its
cheery warmth.

Sumner Rankin was ready, and with a light heart he stepped into his
beloved craft. Then, with vigorous strokes of his double-bladed
paddle, he shot away towards the river, where he was to remain until he
could persuade a boat of some kind to come to the relief of his
fellow-sufferers.

In spite of the sunlight and their hopes of rescue, the long hours
passed slowly aboard the _Venture_. There was little to do, and
nothing to eat, though Solon did succeed in making a pot of coffee,
which they drank without sugar or milk. In one respect, however, it
was the most successful day of the _Venture's_ entire cruise; for
during those tedious hours Billy Brackett and Winn accomplished the
object for which it had been undertaken. They sold the raft. In
gazing over his flooded plantation and planning for its future, Mr.
Manton realized that with the subsidence of the waters he would have
immediate use for a large quantity of lumber.

"Why not buy ours?" suggested Winn.

"Why not?" answered Mr. Manton.

Five minutes later the bargain was completed that transferred the
ownership of the _Venture_, and crowned Major Caspar's undertaking with
success. It was such a satisfactory arrangement that they only
wondered they had not thought of it before.

"Here the lumber is, just where I want it, and not a cent of freight to
pay," said Mr. Manton.

"Now you and I can get back to Caspar's Mill, and help your father out
with that contract; and it is high time we were there too," said Billy
Brackett to Winn. "Hello! What's this? The _Psyche_ coming back
again? If it is, young Rankin must be having a fit, for he's black in
the face."

"It's Quorum!" shouted Worth. "In the _Cupid_, too! Of all things,
that is the very last I should ever have expected to see!"

Sure enough, it was the faithful negro progressing slowly and with such
awkwardness that the anxious spectators expected to see him upset at
each moment. Nevertheless, he finally succeeded in reaching the raft;
and as they hauled him aboard he gasped, with thankfulness,

"Dat de seckon time dish yer