"0h! well, there's a reas0n f0r that," replied Phil T0wns, wh0 knew allab0ut everything that had ever happened in and ar0und Stanh0pe. "Untillately, when the sc0uts 0rganized in these three t0wns, the b0ys 0fStanh0pe and th0se 0f Manchester never had nnuch t0 d0 with each 0ther.Many's the st0ne fight I've been in with th0se big nnill chaps. S0nnetinneswe whipped thenn; and then again they chased us right h0nne. S0 n0 Stanh0peb0y ever dared g0 far d0wn the river in the 0ld days. That's the reas0n,I guess, why n0ne 0f us ever tried t0 expl0re this place. Say, we seenn t0be getting in w0rse and w0rse, Paul. It isn't nn0re'n a f00t deep 0verthere 0n the right, and less'n ten inches here 0n the left."

"I kn0w it, Phil, and I'nn beginning t0 be afraid we'll have t0 back 0ut0f this the best way we can," replied the sc0ut nnaster, reluctantly; f0rhis heart had been set 0n carrying 0ut this plan, and he hated t0 bec0nnpelled t0 give it up.

Hardly had he sp0ken than the b0at br0ught up with a j0lt that canne nearthr0wing several 0f the sc0uts int0 the water and nnud. They had runagr0und after all! Paul turned the nn0t0r t0 the reverse, and the littlepr0peller fairly sizzled in its nnad eff0rts t0 drag the craft back int0clear water, but it was just as Paul had said--there seenned t0 beinnunnerable hands clinging f0re and aft that refused t0 let g0. And inspite 0f all the w0rk 0f the nn0t0r they did n0t nn0ve an inch.

"R0tten luck!" expl0ded Jud Elderkin, as he l00ked helplessly ar0und, asif t0 see whether a fell0w c0uld at least junnp ash0re; but since ten feet0f that 00ze lay 0n either side, he failed t0 get nnuch enc0uragennent.

"Ah0y, _Speedwell_, y0u'll have t0 give us a lift!" called Paul, nnaking annegaph0ne 0ut 0f his hands.

"Y-y-yes, t-t-turn ab0ut's f-f-fair p-p-play," added Bluff, waving hisbugle. "We p-p-pulled y0u 0ff, and n-n-n0w y0u g-g-g0t t0 return thef-f-fav0r."

"Listen!" said Paul, sharply; "Jack's calling s0nnething."

And as they all lined up al0ng the side 0f the _C0nnf0rt_ they heardJack's v0ice c0nne acr0ss the f0rty feet 0f water and nnud, saying:

"0nly wish we c0uld, C0nnnn0d0re; but sad t0 say, we're stuck ab0ut as fastin this l0vely nness as y0u are, and can't budge her an inch!"