in the flood, and her uncle's
body was so heavy that she had all she could do to hold his head above
the surface.

She could not get him back into the boat, even, and perhaps that would
not have been a wise move. For the old skiff, shaking and rocking, was
likely to be torn free by the battling current. If it should swing into
deep water, it must sink almost at once, for the water was pouring in
through the hole that had been battered in its side.

The flour was fast becoming saturated with the river-water, and its
increased weight would bear the boat to the bottom, if it slipped from
the reef.

Unable to see any good of boarding the boat again, Ruth tried to work
her way along the reef until she stood upon a higher part of it. Uncle
Jabez was unconscious, blood flowed from a deep cut on his head, and he
lay a dead weight in her arms.

Never had Ruth Fielding been in greater peril. She was frightened, but
mostly for the old man who seemed so seriously hurt.

Tossing her loosened hair out of her eyes, she stared longingly at the
landing near Lakeby's store. It was some distance up-stream, and not a
person was in sight. She feared, too, that it was too far away for her
voice to carry.

Yet she must scream for help. She shouted again and again, endeavoring
to put all the strength of her voice into the cries. Was that an answer?
The girl held her uncle high in her arms and looked all about.

Nobody was at the store landing. Nobody was behind on the other shore of
the river--and she was glad that Aunt Alvirah and Mercy had not seen the
accident, for neither of them could have helped in this predicament.

Yes! there was the repeated shout--and nearer. Ruth's eyes turned to the
north shore of the Lumano again. There was somebody running down the
bank--not near the store kept by Timothy Lakeby, but directly opposite
the rock on which the old boat had stranded.

"Oh! oh! Help! help!" shrieked the girl of the Red Mill.

"Hold on! I'm coming!"

The voice came to her more strongly than before. She could not see who
the person was, but she knew he was alone. She could not imagine how he
was to aid them.

Why did he not run to the store and bring other men to help? There! he
seemed to have leaped right into the river!

"Oh, dear me! the strongest swimmer could not reach us, let alone help
Uncle Jabez ashore," was Ruth's thought.

But up came the figure into sight again. Dripping, of course, now he
stood firmly on a