Tom Slades Double Dare | Page 5

Westy.
"What's that?" said Roy suddenly. "Look out!"
He spoke just in time to enable them to get out of the path of a floating tree which was drifting rapidly in the same direction as the boat. Its great mass of muddy roots brushed against them.
"It's just as I thought," Tom said; "the water must be pouring out through the cove. We're caught in it. Let's try to get a little off shore; we'll have one of those trees come tumbling down on our heads the first thing we know."
"Not so easy," said Hervey, as they tried to backwater and at the same time get out from under the mountain.
"Put her in reverse," said Roy, who never failed to get the funny squint on a situation.
But there was no use, the rushing water had them in its grip and they were borne along pell-mell, with trees and broken limbs which had fallen down the mountainside.
They were directly opposite the camp now, and cheerful lights could be seen in the pavilion where the whole camp community was congregated, safe from the storm. The noises which had seemed weird enough at camp were appalling now, as out of that havoc far above them, great bowlders came tumbling down into the lake with loud splashes.
Tom realized, all too late, the cause of the dreadful peril they were in. Out on the body of the lake and toward the camp shore the wind was blowing a gale from the mountains and, as it were, forcing the water back. But directly under the mountain there was no wind, and their position was as that of a person who is under the curve of a waterfall. And here, because there was no wind to counteract it, the water was rushing toward what was left of the cove. It was like a rapid river flowing close to the shore and bearing upon its hurrying water the d��bris which had crashed down from that lonesome, storm-torn height.
The boat was caught in this rushing water and the danger was increased by its closeness to the shore where every missile of rock or tree, cast by that frowning monster, might at any minute dash the craft to splinters.
The little flickering lights which shone through the spray and fine blown rain across that black water seemed very cheerful and inviting now.
CHAPTER IV
THE TREE
"We're in a bad fix," said Tom; "let's try to make a landing and see if we can scramble along shore to the cove."
It is doubtful whether they could have scrambled along that precipitous bank, but in any case, so great was the impetus of the rushing water that even making a landing was impossible. The boat was borne along with a force that all their exertions could not counteract, headlong for the cove.
"What can we do?" Roy asked.
"The only thing that I know of," said Tom, "is to get within reach of the shore in the cove. If we can do that we might get to safety even if we have to jump."
Presently the boat went careening into the cove; an appalling sound of scraping, then of tearing, was heard beneath it, it reared up forward, spilling its occupants into the whirling water and, settling sideways, remained stationary.
The boys found themselves clinging to the branches of a broken tree which was wedged crossways in the cove, its trunk entirely submerged. It formed a sort of makeshift dam and the boat, caught in its branches, added to the obstruction.
If it had not been for this tree the boat would have been borne upon the flood, with what tragic sequel who shall say?
"All right," said Tom, "we're lucky; keep hold of the branches, it's only a few feet to shore; careful how you step. If you let go it's all over. We could never swim in this torrent."
"Where do you suppose this tree came from?" Roy asked.
"From the top of the mountain for all I know," Tom answered. "Watch your step and follow me. We're in luck."
"You don't call this luck, do you?" Westy asked.
"Watch me, I can go scout-pace on the trunk," said Hervey, handing himself along.
"Never mind any of those stunts," said Tom; "you watch what you're doing and follow me."
"The pleasure is mine," said Hervey; "a scout is always--whoa! There's where I nearly dipped the dip. Watch me swing over this branch. I bet you can't hang by your knees--like this."
There are some people who think that trees were made to bear fruit and to afford shade, and to supply timber. But that is a mistake; they were made for Hervey Willetts. They were the scenes of his gayest stunts. He had even been known to dive under the water and shimmy up a tree that was reflected there. He even claimed that he got a splinter in his