stream here," he went on.
"Do you not see how shallow it is? He went over to that island, and
from there directly to the other side."

CHAPTER XXV.

A BITTER MISTAKE.

Both Andy and the freight agent saw at once that Matt was right, and
the jaw of the driver of the wagon dropped.

"Humph! I was certain he couldn't cross right after such heavy rains,"
he said moodily.

"But you see he has crossed," went on the young auctioneer. "I will
tell you what I'm going to do--wade across and see if I can't strike
the tracks on the other side."

"You'll get pretty wet, especially if you slip into a deep hole,"
returned Andy.

"I'll take off part of my clothing," returned Matt, and he did so
without delay.

The water was colder than he had anticipated, and he shivered slightly
as he waded in deeper and deeper.

"Can you swim, should you slip?" called out Andy anxiously.

"Yes, I can swim," returned Matt, "but I hope that won't be
necessary!"

Moving along cautiously where the rocks stuck up the highest, the
young auctioneer worked his way slowly over to the island he had
previously pointed out. It was painful work, for he had taken off his
shoes, and now he found the bottom in many places cut his feet. But at
last the island was reached, and he walked out upon the dry ground.

It did not take Matt long to discover the wagon tracks for which he
was searching. They were close at hand, and led almost in a straight
line across the little patch, which was not over two hundred feet in
width.

"Here they are!" he shouted back to the others. "He went right across
just as I supposed."

"Humph! Now what is to be done?" questioned the agent, with a
perplexed look upon his face.

"We must cross and follow him," replied Andy determinedly.

"Do you want me to take the horse and wagon across?"

"Why not? The thief took that heavily loaded wagon over. I guess this
light affair will go over all right."

The agent was doubtful about this, and rubbed his chin reflectively.

"I might drive on till I got to a bridge, or turn back to one," he
suggested.

"That would take too long," returned Matt's partner impatiently. "We
must 'strike while the iron is hot,' as the saying is."

"Come on!" shouted Matt from the island. "Come straight over and you
will be all right."

"Well, we can make the venture, but I am a bit shaky over it," said
the freight agent, and with a face full of the concern he felt for his
turn-out he