ight on the raft where I had left it, only a few
rods below the starting-point. My frail bark was not large enough to
float easily on the rapid stream, and in spite of my best efforts, it
would whirl round, for the pole in my hand had not blade enough to
enable me to steer with it. In a few moments I reached the place where I
had last seen the light through the window of Flora's room; but the raft
was not there. It was not to be seen before me; but the stream made a
bend a short distance below me.

The raft had probably broken loose, and Sim had been unable to stop it;
but it was not like my fellow-voyager to let it go without yelling at
the top of his lungs, and he had more voice than wits. Though all my
hopes were in the ark I had built, and Flora, whom I loved more than
life, was a passenger upon it, I was not alarmed. Sim would be able to
run it up to the shore, and probably had done so beyond the bend.

I always had a habit of looking on the bright side of things, and was
disposed never to despair; at least not till I had seen what was beyond
the next bend in the stream of life. I was quite confident I should find
the ark of my safety in a few moments more, and I did not even attempt
to hurry the crazy float on which I travelled. I reached the bend, and
strained my eyes to peer through the gloom, which hung deep and heavy
over the swamp. The stream was straight for half a mile ahead of me, but
no light gladdened my eyes.

I was startled, and even terrified, by the situation.

CHAPTER XVII.

NIGHT ON THE RIVER.

Sim Gwynn had a voice like a bull, and I wondered that he had not used
it, as he was in the habit of doing in all cases of peril or emergency.
The worst fear I had was, that he had fallen overboard; for it seemed to
me that nothing else could have prevented him from halloing. But I had
strong hopes that the next bend of the stream would remove my anxiety.

With the board I had torn from my raft I paddled with all my might; but
it seemed like an hour to me, in my deep solicitude for the fate of my
companions, before I reached the bend. At this point the stream made a
sharp turn, and I had the intense satisfaction of seeing the light on
the raft, on the right bank of the stream. The current set my craft
directly towards it, and I had only to use my paddle in keeping it from
whirling round.

A heavy load of anxiety was removed from my mind; but, as I approached
the light, I wondered that Sim wa