ed that it was late enough to commence the voyage. I wished to be
sure that Captain Fishley and his wife had returned from Riverport. The
night was quite dark, and I had no fear that the raft would be seen; but
even if it were, it was not a very uncommon thing for such a craft to go
down the river.

I had made a crooked steering oar, and built a platform to stand upon,
so that the helmsman could see over the house. I mounted this platform,
and took hold of the end of the oar.

"Now cast off the forward fast, Sim!" I called to my deck hand.

"All clear," replied Sim, when he had drawn in the line, which had been
passed round a tree so that it could be hauled in without going on
shore.

"Now let go the other!"

Sim untied one of the ends of the rope, and was pulling it in, when I
felt a consciousness that something was wrong, though I could not tell
what. It flashed across my mind that I was making a blunder.

"Hold on, Sim!" I shouted, jumping down from the platform, and trying to
catch the rope; but the end had gone ashore.

"What's the matter, Buck?" called Sim, apparently alarmed by my sudden
movements.

"I have forgotten my money!" I exclaimed, as I leaped on the small raft
which lay alongside.

I sprang for the tree to which the great raft was fastened, in order to
secure the rope; but it was too late. The current started the raft, and
dragged the rope off before I could catch hold of it. In the darkness
and the night the craft went off without me.

"Don't leave me, Buck!" called Sim.

"Take the steering oar, and run her up to the shore!" I replied.

I had the small raft, and I could follow at pleasure, and join my
companions; but if I pushed off, I could not return, for the branch of
the creek was too deep for me to use the pole. I could not think of
going without my money.

I saw Sim jump upon the platform, and work the steering oar vigorously,
but with more power than skill. He succeeded in running her up to the
bank.

"Now hold on to her!" I shouted. "I shall not be gone long!"

I pushed the raft to the tree where I had concealed the money; and,
though I had some difficulty in finding it, I succeeded; still, three
times as many minutes were wasted in the operation as I supposed would
be necessary. With the roll of bills in my pocket-book, I pushed off
again, and soon reached the stream. Launching out into the current, the
raft was borne with its flow towards the creek.

I could not see the l