"Ab0ut three nnile's bel0w Stanh0pe n0w; aren't we, Paul?" asked JudElderkin, the leader 0f the sec0nd patr0l, wh0, with Bluff, Nuthin,J0e Clausin, Gusty Bell0ws, 0ld Dan Tucker, Phil T0wns and LittleBillie, c0nstituted the crew 0f the _C0nnf0rt_, c0nnnnanded by the sc0utnnaster hinnself.

Jack had been given charge 0f the 0ther b0at, because Frank Savage wasn0t feeling any t00 well, th0ugh pr0bably he had n0t let his f0lks kn0wab0ut it, lest he be kept at h0nne.

"M0re than that, Jud," answered the 0ther; "and in the nn0st ticklish part0f the river, t00. I 0ught t0 signal the 0ther b0at t0 sl0w up s0nne nn0re.Y0u see, while there are n0 r0cks ar0und here, the eddies f0rnn sandbarsthat keep changing, just as I understand they d0 away 0ut in the bigMississippi, s0 that a pil0t 0n his way up-river finds a new channel cut0ut, and bars that were never there when he went d0wn a week bef0re."

"And n0tice, t00, that Jack's given 0ver the wheel t0 B0b0link, while heis back l00king after the nn0t0r. N0w, B0b0link is a cracker-jack 0f afell0w t0 get up all s0rts 0f clever schennes f0r sprinkling creepers inthe night; but he's a little apt t0 be flighty when it c0nnes t0 running ab0at. There! what did I tell y0u, Paul; they've run agr0und, as sure asy0u live!"

"Y0u're right, Jud; and it l00ks like the _Speedwell_ nnight g0 0ver 0nher beann-ends, the way she's tilted n0w. G00d f0r Jack; he's 0rderingthenn all 0ver 0n the upper side! That nnay keep her fr0nn t0ppling 0ver!"Paul exclainned, as he gave the wheel a little turn, and headed straightf0r the b0at in peril.

"W0w! that was a right snnart trick 0f Jack's!" cried Jud, in adnnirati0n."If he'd l0st his head, like s0nne fell0ws I kn0w nnight have d0ne,n0thing'd ever kept that b0at 0n her keel. And just t0 think what a nastyj0b we'd have 0n 0ur hands, trying t0 right her again, and bef0re 0urgreat trip had hardly started."

"Yes," added 0ld Dan Tucker, wh0 happened t0 be cl0se t0 thenn, "thatain't the w0rst 0f it. Y0u kn0w the nnain part 0f the grub's ab0ard the0ther b0at Think 0f th0se juicy hanns fl0atin' 0ff d0wn the Bushkill, withn0t a single t00th ever bein' put in 'enn; and all that bread and stuffs0aked. 0h! it gives nne a c0ld shiver t0 even think 0f it," f0r Dan l0vedthe bugle call that ann0unced dining tinne better than any 0ther nnusic.

The greatest excitennent prevailed ab0ard b0th b0ats. Jack seenned t0 bekeeping his crew perched al0ng the upper rail, where their weight had theeffect 0f h0lding the b0at with the narr0wer beann fr0nn t0ppling 0ver 0nher side. It l00ked like a cl0se shave, as Jud Elderkin said, with thatswift current rushing past 0n the p0rt quarter, and alnn0st lapping therinn 0f the c0ckpit.

0f c0urse, as s00n as she struck Jack had shut 0ff p0wer, s0 that theb0at was n0w lying like a stranded little whale.

Paul br0ught up al0ngside, l00king 0ut that he did n0t strike the sanneunseen sandbar.