k loose.

"All that night and all next day we hung on, and then the wind went down
a bit, and a nigger who had made us out from the shore came off in a
dug-out and took us ashore in two trips. That war a close shave. The
wind was northerly and bitter cold, and I don't believe as we could have
hung on another night more nor that. Next morning, when we turned out
from the nigger's hut to have a look round, there wasn't no sign of them
thar trees, they had just gone down the river in the night. Yes, I have
had a good many narrow shaves of it, but I do think as that war the
narrowest."

"Well, I am heartily glad," Frank said, "that we are tied safely up, out
of the way of floating trees, snags, or anything of the kind. I always
like hearing the wind when I am snug, and I shall sleep sound knowing
that I am not going to hear your shout of 'Watch on deck' in my ear."

In spite of the howling of the gale Frank slept soundly. But he could
scarcely believe that it was broad daylight when he awoke; the light was
dim and leaden, and when he went out from the cabin he was startled at
the aspect of the river. The waves had risen until it resembled an angry
sea, the yellow masses of water being tipped with foam; the clouds hung
so low that they almost touched the top of the trees; the rain was still
falling, and the drops almost hurt from the violence with which they
were driven by the wind. The river had risen considerably during the
night, and the lower end of the island was already submerged; boughs of
trees and driftwood were hurrying along with the stream, and more than
one great tree passed, now lifting an arm high in the air, now almost
hidden in the waves, as it turned over and over in its rapid course.
Frank felt glad indeed that the boat lay in comparatively sheltered
waters, though even here the swell caused her at times to roll
violently.

"What do you think of it, lad?" Hiram, who had risen some time before
Frank, asked.

"It is a wonderfully wild scene," Frank said enthusiastically, "a grand
scene! I should not have had an idea that such a sea could have got up
on any river. Look at that great tree rolling down, it looks as if it
was wrestling for life."

"The wrestle is over, lad, there ain't no more life for that tree; it
will just drift along till it either catches on a sandbank and settles
down as a snag, or it will drift down to the mouth of the Mississippi,
and may be help to choke up some of the shallow ch