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[Illustration: AS THE HOUSE DRIFTED DOWNSTREAM JOE GOT A SERIES OF
MOVING PICTURES.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD
Or
Perilous Days on the Mississippi
LLBY
VICTOR APPLETON
Author of "The Moving Picture Boys," "The Moving Picture
Boys in Earthquake Land," "Tom Swift and
His Motor Cycle," "The Motion Picture
Chums' First Venture," etc.
Illustrated
New York
Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers
Made in the United States of America
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOOKS FOR BOYS
BY VICTOR APPLETON
_12 mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price, per volume,
50 cents, postpaid._
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS SERIES
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' FIRST VENTURE
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS AT SEASIDE PARK
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS ON BROADWAY
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION
THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' NEW IDEA
THE TOM SWIFT SERIES
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE
TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE
TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER
TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON
TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
Copyright, 1914, by
GROSSET & DUNLAP
_The Moving Picture Boys and the Flood_
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
I A LONG-DISTANCE CALL
II STIRRING NEWS
III MR. PIPER IS APPREHENSIVE
IV OFF FOR THE FLOOD
V THE RELIEF TRAIN
VI THE MISSING FILMS
VII STALLED
VIII THE MOTOR BOAT
IX ANXIOUS HOURS
X OFF AGAIN
XI UPSIDE DOWN
XII CHARLIE HOUSE
XIII LOOKING FOR MOTHER
XIV FIRE AND FLOOD
XV A HAPPY MEETING
XVI A BOLT FROM THE SKY
XVII THE COTTON BARGE
XVIII OVERBOARD
XIX A COLLISION
XX ON THE RAFT
XXI ADRIFT AGAIN
XXII ON A BIG ISLAND
XXIII THE LOST ONES
XXIV RISING WATERS
XXV THE GOVERNMENT BOAT
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD
CHAPTER I
A LONG-DISTANCE CALL
"Say, this looks bad, Joe! It sure does!"
"What's that, Blake? Must be quite serious, to make you sit up and take
notice."
"It is! Look at the scare head!" and the speaker held out, for the
inspection of his companion, a newspaper the front page of which fairly
bristled with black type.
They were two youths, sitting under a cherry tree, on the green grass of
a lawn which fronted a farmhouse. They were evidently taking their ease,
or had been, for there were comfortable chairs near them, two hammocks,
and a pile of magazines, while on a board seat, built into a crotch of
the cherry tree, was a large pitcher of lemonade. And if that doesn't
show comfort on a warm, sunny June day I don't know what does.
"Where'd you get that paper?" asked Joe Duncan, as he accepted the sheet
his companion, Blake Stewart, passed over.
"It came in the mail, but I didn't take it out of the wrapper until a
second ago. It's yesterday's. Some news that; eh?"
"It sure is," and as Joe began to read, Blake looked over his shoulder,
murmuring such expressions as: "Worst flood in years! Many houses swept
away! Toll of lives will be heavy! Many deeds of heroism! Mississippi on
great rampage!"
What Blake gave expression to was merely quoted from some of the lines
in the heading of the article that had so excited him and his chum. It
was a telegraphed story of a big flood on the Mississippi, which, the
article stated, was higher than it had been in years, while unusually
heavy spring rains had added to the terrors of the rising waters.
"That sure is some flood!" murmured Joe, as he reached the bottom of the
newspaper page, and turned the sheet over. "Hello!" he cried. "They've
got some pictures of it, too!"
Almost all of the second page was taken up with half-tone cuts of scenes
in the flooded districts. There were views of overturned houses being
swept down a turbulent stream, pictures of half-demolished buildings,
jammed together into a rude sort of raft, on which could be seen farm
animals; views of whole towns partly inundated, and people being taken
from roofs and out of third-story windows in small boats. It was a
photographic story of untold misery and desolation.
"Yes, sir, that sure is some flood, Blake," murmured Joe. "And do you
know what I think?"
"I might make a guess at it, old man."
But Joe did not give his chum a chance. He went on hastily:
"I think we ought to go out there with our moving picture cameras, and
get some films of that flood."
"I thought you were going to say that."
"Then you're not surprised. But how does it strike you?"
"Well, I sure would like to see the Mississippi on a tear the like of
which she's having now, for it would be something worth remembering. And
I suppose we could make a neat little sum, over and above our expenses,
if we went out there and got a lot of films. We could work them off
through the moving picture newspaper syndicate easily enough. But you
know why we came out here to Central Falls; don't you, Joe?" added
Blake.
"To get a good rest in the country, of course."
"That's it, and we're getting it. There isn't anything I like better
than this," and Blake, who had stretched out in lazy luxury on the
grass, looked up at the blue sky, and into the cherry tree, which was
laden with luscious fruit. "All I want now is a robin to come along,
pick the cherries and drop them down to me," went on Blake, with a grin.
"Say, you don't want much," laughed Joe. "But it sure is nice here," and
he looked across the fertile farm acres that stretched away to the rear,
and on either side of the comfortable house, in the shade of which they
were taking their ease.
"Finest place we could strike to spend a vacation," agreed Blake.
"But, all the same, I think we're missing a chance if we don't go out
there and get some Mississippi flood pictures," went on Joe. "How does
it strike you?"
"Say, I wish you hadn't mentioned it, Joe! Now you've got me going! If
we hadn't seen a big story of it in the papers we'd be content to sit
here, and take it easy. But, now that the germ has got to working----"
"Then you'll go there with me, and take our moving picture cameras
along; won't you?" interrupted Joe, eagerly. "I tell you we may never
have another chance like this!
"We've got pictures of earthquakes, of volcanoes in eruption, of wild
animals fighting, and lots of other exciting things. But we never yet
tackled a flood," went on Joe, with ever-growing enthusiasm. "And you
know moving water always shows up well on the films."
"Oh, I can see what all this is leading to," broke in Blake. "Good-bye
to all the fine, lazy times we've been having the last two weeks. No
more lying in bed as long as you like--no more chicken dinners--we'll be
lucky if we can hold a sandwich in one hand and grind away at the crank
of the moving picture camera with the other. Good-bye to a good day's
fishing in the brook. No more cherry pie, and no more lemonade in the
shade. And, speaking of lemonade, we might as well finish this pitcher,
and get ready to go. I can see what is going to happen," and he sighed
in pretended dolefulness.
"Oh, don't go just because I suggested it, Blake," said Joe, quickly.
"Oh, no, I'm not blaming you. It's just that it's in our blood, I guess.
We can't seem to keep away from places where there are moving pictures
to be made. Might as well get started. Here, have some," and he poured
out a drink of lemonade.
"Oh, we'll have a good time, as well as some work, if we go out there,"
declared Joe. "It won't be as bad as you try to make out. Didn't we
always have good times on our trips?"
"Yes, and strenuous times, too. I'm not making any kick. Only if we
hadn't seen that newspaper we could still be sitting here in the shade,
eating cherries----"
Something fell with a thud on Blake's upturned face.
"Wow!" he cried. "I guess that robin's getting busy," for a ripe,
luscious cherry had fallen from above, and Blake laughed as he popped it
into his mouth.
"It's a good thing this isn't a cocoanut tree," remarked Joe. "You
wouldn't feel so jolly if one of those hit you."
"I guess not. Well, I s'pose we might as well go in and tell Mr. Baker
that we're going to leave him. We can pack up to-day, and start West
to-morrow. We'll have to have the cameras sent on from New York. We can
order them and a supply of film by telegraph. I guess we could telephone
the message in. That will save a trip to town, and we haven't much
time," added Joe.
"There you go! Off with a rush! Telephones and telegrams. Walking will
be too slow for you! Everything bang-up! Let her go!" cried Blake,
swinging his arms to indicate progress. "Good-bye, vacation!" he cried.
"The strenuous life from now on!"
The two youths arose from the grass, and together they started for the
house at which they were boarding.
They had gone only a few steps, however, when, from across the country
road, and a short distance down it, came a hail.
"Who's that?" asked Joe.
"I don't know--listen!" suggested Blake. "Are they calling us?"
There was no doubt about it a moment later, for the boys heard a voice
shouting:
"Hi there! Joe! Blake! Moving Picture Boys! You're wanted!"
"Who is it? I can't see," murmured Joe.
"It's Harry, the clerk in Robertson's store," answered Blake, for a
short distance away was the general store--"The Universal Emporium," as
the sign had it--of Hank Robertson, of Central Falls.
"Come on, boys!" went on the voice of the caller, who was out of sight
because of a roadside hedge. "You're wanted on the long-distance
telephone!"
"Ugh!" groaned Blake. "Might have known it. Did you start this, Joe?"
and he looked at his chum suspiciously.
"Don't know a thing about it. Who can want us on the 'phone?"
"Best way's to go and find out. Mighty queer, though, that just as we
read of the Mississippi flood, and decide to go, someone should ring us
up on long distance. I thought we got rid of all that when we came here
for our vacation. Things have started with a rush."
"Say, are you comin'?" demanded the store clerk. "Central has been
ringin' like all possessed! Must be important!"
"I guess it is, or they wouldn't telephone," murmured Blake.
"We're coming!" cried Joe.
Together the boys hurried out into the road, and turned down toward the
store.
There were not many telephones in the country village of Central Falls.
They were considered too much of a luxury. But Hank Robertson was rather
progressive, and had had a long distance instrument installed in his
store some time before.
"There you be, boys!" he said, as Joe and Blake entered. "I knew as soon
as I heard the bell ring that it was long distance. I answered, and sent
Harry out to call you."
"Much obliged," spoke Blake. "Do you know who it is?"
"Nope. It was Central talking. She said either of you two was wanted."
Blake stepped to the instrument, and took up the receiver, which had
been standing upright on the desk.
"Hello!" he called into the transmitter. Then he was silent, but, from
the look of wonder and surprise that spread over his face as he
listened, Joe knew that it was something important, and out of the
usual.