tion to do all he could for the "good of the
cause."

CHAPTER XI.

AN UNFAVORABLE OMEN.

Ned pressed the pole into the bottom of the river, which was so far
below that only a few feet of the stick remained above the surface, and
he was forced to lean over the side of the craft to secure any leverage.
Any one who has tried it knows that it is next to impossible to
accomplish much under similar circumstances, and the young scout was of
the opinion that he was not making any progress at all toward the other
shore.

"We are in the deepest part," said Jo, with a view of encouraging him.

"And it looks as if we were going to stay there," replied Ned, straining
and pushing at his work.

"This deep part must be very narrow, and you'll soon be over it."

"That's the trouble," said his friend, with a laugh, "I am over it, and
don't see that there is much prospect of my getting anywhere else."

Still he worked and toiled at the greatest possible disadvantage, the
swaying of the boat frequently causing it to baffle all his efforts to
move onward. Several times, when he braced his shoulders, the craft
would sag against the pole with such force as almost to wrench it from
his grasp.

"Keep heart," called out Jo. "I think you are gaining."

"In which way?"

"We're a few inches nearer the southern shore than we were--"

"When we started," interrupted Ned, showing a very modest estimate of
his own abilities in the way of managing the craft.

Jo rose and went to the side of his friend, hoping that he might be of
assistance, for he clearly needed something of the kind.

"Let me take hold," said he, "or we are stuck, as sure as you live."

"I don't see how you can be of any help to me," answered Ned, who would
have been glad enough to receive it, if there was any direction in which
it could be applied. "You notice the trouble is that it so deep just
here, and the current so strong, that it bothers a fellow amazingly.
Now, if you will get overboard and push the stern you will do some
good, but I don't see that you are going to amount to anything in any
other way."

"Then I rather calculate that I won't amount to anything at all," was
the sensible conclusion of the other, as he returned to his place beside
his sister and the Mohawk.

There was reason to believe that the labors of Ned Clinton were not
entirely in vain, even though they were not encouraging. The boat was
certainly progressing, and the height of th