, where the storm had evidently
passed but without doing much damage; for it was a peculiarity of that
elephant of a cloud that it appeared to draw up its destroying trunk
once or twice, and skip over a few miles in its course, only to swing it
down again with greater fury.

The road was now drenched all the way, and the trail they followed was
so distinct that the boys did not stop to make inquiries at the log-huts
which began to appear before they were well through the woods.

They made comparatively rapid progress up the valley, until they came to
a point where the river, in its winding course, was crossed by the road.
There, again, the tornado had done a brisk business; the bridge was
destroyed, the side of the road gullied, and the river swollen.

Both boys alighted and examined the track.

"Here is where he stopped and hesitated, finding the bridge gone," said
Jack. "And see! here are his own tracks, as if he had got out of the
buggy and gone ahead to reconnoitre."

"As well he might," Rufe answered. "Look at these tree-tops, and the
timbers of the bridge lodged in the middle of the river!"

"He seems to have got through, and I guess we can," said Jack. "I've
forded this stream, below the bridge, before now, when I've wanted to
water my horse; but it was free from all this sort of rubbish then.
There must have been a great fall of rain up here!"

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE MYSTERY OF A PAIR OF BREECHES.

Jack went out with the lantern upon the ruined abutment of the bridge,
and showed a space beside the drift-wood, in the turbid and whirling
current, where fording seemed practicable.

Then the boys got into the wagon again, and the mare was driven
cautiously forward, by the glimmering light which the lantern shed
faintly before and around them. Lion swam ahead, throwing up his muzzle
and barking loud, like a faithful pilot showing the safest way. The
wheels went in over the hubs; the water came into the bottom of the
wagon-box; the flood boiled and plashed and gurgled, and swept away in
black, whirling eddies; and Jack said, "This wouldn't be a very nice
place to break down, eh,--would it?"

But they got safely through; and on the farther bank they were pleased
to find again the trail of the horse and buggy.

They were now in high spirits. The whirlwind having passed up the river,
the road lay aside from its direct path, but still within the area of
rain.

"This is gay!" said Jack. "He thinks he