by the comparative silence. The wind still whistled overhead
and swayed the branches, but the hiss and rustle of the water had
ceased.

"We are out of the main stream, that's sartin," Hiram said, "though
where we are is more nor I can tell till we get daylight."

Frank took the lantern and climbed up the bough which served as a
lookout. It was pitch dark outside, and the surface of the water was no
longer broken by white heads.

"Yes, we are certainly out of the main river, Hiram, and in behind some
big islands. Where do you think it could be?"

"I reckon, lad, we are somewhere down near the mouth of the Arkansas.
The stream has been running mighty strong for the last two days, and the
wind, catching all these branches, must have helped us along a good bit.
I reekon we can't be far away from the Arkansas. It's a bad stroke of
luck drifting in here; we may expect to get hung up somewhere, and we
shall be in a nice fix then, out of sight of boats going up and down,
and with miles and miles of swamp stretching back from the shore.
However, it will be time to think of that to-morrow. There ain't nothing
for us to do; just lend us a hand, and we will get this iron plate off
the roof. The tarpaulin keeps off the rain, and I will fetch a couple of
blankets, and we can stretch ourselves out here; I despise going to
sleep sitting up."

Frank was sound asleep in a few minutes. He had a confused notion of
feeling a slight jerking motion, and of hearing Hiram say, "There, she
is anchored"; but he did not suffer this to rouse him, and, dropping
off, slept soundly till morning. At the first stir Hiram made he was
awake.

"We have had a goodish spell of sleep, I reckon, lad, and I feel all the
better for having had my legs stretched out straight."

"So do I, ever so much; the wind seems to have gone quite down, and it
has stopped raining."

"We shall have the sun up soon."

Frank was soon up in the lookout.

"I can see trees on both sides of us, but I can make out nothing more
than that; there's a mist hanging over them, though it's clear enough on
the water. We are not moving."

"I could have told you that," Hiram said, "didn't we get fast on
something before we went to sleep last night?"

"Oh, I forgot about that; I was just off when you spoke, and didn't
quite take it in. We are quite out of the current; the water is moving
very sluggishly past us."

"So much the worse, lad; that's just what I fancied. We have got