THE GOVERNMENT BOAT
But building a raft was not an easy matter. True, the trees could be cut
down, but our friends were not skillful woodsmen, and there was nothing
with which to bind the logs together. There were some tent ropes, but
they were needed to keep up the canvas shelters as long as possible.
"We'll do the best we can, though," decided Mr. Ringold, as he and the
men and boys labored at the raft.
They hastened with the work, for the water crept higher and higher. By
using tough withes, and wild grapevines, they managed to bind the logs
fairly well, but, at best, the raft was a very frail affair.
"I'll never trust myself on that!" declared Miss Shay, shuddering.
"I don't much fancy it myself," admitted Mr. Piper.
"But it will be better than staying here and getting--well, getting your
feet wet," spoke Blake. He was going to say "drowned," but changed his
mind.
Higher and higher came the water. There was now only a space of not more
than a hundred feet square, to which the refugees had retreated as an
area of safety. The raft floated in the water, moored by a long rope of
twisted grapevine, and ready for our friends to embark on it.
Packages of food were made ready to be taken along, and also a keg of
fresh water. The water supply troubled them, as the spring was now
covered by the flood, and all they had was some which they had stored
for just that emergency.
"We'll take along the tents," said Mr. Ringold. "They'll come in useful,
as shelter on the raft."
"And we'll have to take to the raft in the morning, I think," Mr. Piper
said. "At the rate the river is rising, we won't have ground under our
feet much longer than that."
Gloomy, uncertain and miserable was that night. The campfire, which had
hitherto been kept up, not without a great deal of work, went out in the
rain, and, save for a few lanterns, there was no light. Naturally there
was no heat, and cold victuals were the portion of the refugees.
Still no one complained, even C. C. maintaining a brave front in the
face of danger and privation. Everything possible was made ready for
embarking on the raft in the morning. After that----
No one knew what would happen.
"I suppose we'll have to abandon everything," said Birdie Lee, talking
to Joe and Blake, after "supper," if so the meal could be designated.
"Well, I'm going to stick to the films and the camera to the last!"
exclaimed Blake.
"That's what!" cried Joe. "We may get to some place where we'll be able
to get a few more pictures."
The night passed slowly and miserably. At the first streak of dawn Blake
was astir, ready to help take down the tents and load the raft.
But, as he looked toward the place where it had been tied, he saw only
the twisted end of the grapevine cable.
"The raft is gone!" he cried. "It's been carried away in the flood!"
"What's that?" called Joe, hardly believing.
"The raft is gone! And our last chance is gone with it!"
Hurriedly they all came out of the tents. It was but too true. The
rising waters had pulled and tugged at the raft, until they had carried
it down stream.
There was no time to make another. Already the space on which the
refugees had taken shelter was growing smaller. Inch by inch the waters
rose. The pegs of one of the tents, in which supplies were kept, were
now being lapped by the muddy waves.
"Oh, for a boat!" cried Blake.
"We've got to do something!" yelled Joe. "We can't stay here much
longer."
That was evident to all. Yet what could be done?
"Cut down some trees!" cried Mr. Ringold. "We can use them for life
preservers, and perhaps float to safety. Cut down trees!"
"This means good-bye to our films!" sighed Blake.
"If not good-bye to ourselves," echoed his chum.
There was little time left. With the one axe, and the camp hatchet, the
men began chopping away at the trees on the summit of the hill, where
the refugees had made their last stand against the rising waters. They
could remain there but an hour longer, at most.
Blake and Joe carried their camera and waterproof packages of exposed
film, to the dryest place they could find, in one of the tents.
"We can't take any food with us, when we float down on the logs," said
Mr. Piper, sadly.
No one had the heart to answer him.
They were now gathered together in a space about fifty feet across, on
the very summit of the hill. Several trees grew there, and, by climbing
into them, it might be possible to remain above the rising water a
little longer. But would even this respite save them? It did not seem
possible.
The tree trunks had been felled, and were in readiness. They would make
but poor life preservers at best, but better than nothing.
Inch by inch the water rose. Birdie Lee, Miss Shay and some of the other
actresses were in a group, looking at each other with tear-stained
faces. It seemed the end of everything.
Suddenly, through the moisture-laden air, came a shrill whistle.
"What's that?" cried Blake.
"Sounded like a steamboat!" answered Joe.
"It _is_ a steamboat!" called Birdie Lee, as she looked down the flooded
river. "See! There she comes! Oh, we are saved!"
"Thank the dear Lord," echoed Miss Shay.
Pushing her way up against the powerful current, was a big boat--a
steamer--from the funnels of which belched black smoke.
"Wave something!"
"Call to them!"
"Make them hear us!"
"Show a signal!"
Thus cried the refugees, as they saw help approaching. In another
instant the boys and men raised their voices in a united shout, and
coats and caps were frantically waved to attract the attention of the
pilot of the vessel.
"He sees us! He's coming!" cried Blake, joyfully.
"And just about in time, too," added Joe, for the water was creeping
higher and higher.
With loud blasts of the whistle the pilot indicated that he had seen the
signals of distress, and was coming to the rescue. In quick time a small
boat was lowered, and a few minutes later the refugees were safe on
board the steamer, which proved to be a government boat, sent out to aid
in the rescue work.
"And we've saved our films and cameras, too!" cried Joe, for the moving
picture apparatus, as well as some of the personal effects of the
stranded ones, had been brought away from the summit of the island,
which alone was out of water, now.
"Yes, and if we get a chance we'll use up the rest of the undeveloped
film, and get more flood pictures," added Blake.
"We'll leave you at the first large town," said the captain. "I guess
the flood is at its height now. It won't get much higher, and there
isn't much use in me going farther up the river until I take care of the
passengers I've already picked up."
Accordingly he turned back, and that afternoon our friends and several
others were taken ashore. The place where they were landed was within a
few miles of a good-sized town, and they found quarters there, being
well looked after by the hospitable inhabitants.
"Well, we're safe, anyhow," murmured Blake.
"Yes, and no more Mississippi life for me--especially in a flood," added
Joe. "I've had all I want."
But the boys were not quite done with the flood. There were two or three
more days of high water, and in that time they managed to get some
wonderful pictures, going out in a hired boat. Then, having no more
undeveloped film, they packed up their cameras, and waited for the
waters to subside.
The rains ceased, the sun came out, and the Mississippi River began to
assume its normal level. Gradually the distressing scenes of the flood
disappeared.
"Well, we certainly got some great pictures," said Blake, when the last
of the reels had been packed up for shipment to New York.
"That's so!" agreed his chum, "and we've got a great story to tell."
"It's been about the most exciting time we ever had, since we got into
this business," went on Blake.
"Not even excepting earthquake land," laughed Joe. "I wonder if we'll
ever duplicate this?"
And whether they did or not may be learned by reading the next book in
this series, to be called: "The Moving Picture Boys at Panama; Or,
Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal."
And now, I believe, I have told you all there is to tell concerning the
adventures of Blake and Joe in the big Mississippi River flood. With the
going down of the waters all danger was passed, though the peril had
been great, and the toll of lives and property heavy. But, aside from
the loss of some personal belongings, and the films which the theatrical
company had taken, matters were not so bad. And the loss of the dramatic
films was more than balanced by the ones taken by Joe and Blake of the
big inundation.
By a lucky chance a clew was obtained to the stolen films of the relief
train, and others, taken at that time. As had been suspected, Munson,
or, rather, the Pullman car porter, whom he had bribed to do so, had
stolen the films. But when an attempt was made to exhibit them our
friends heard about it and secured the valuable celluloid strips. This
was as far as Munson's plot went.
"Well, what are you going to do now?" asked Birdie Lee, of Blake and
Joe, when they were once more on their way home, away from the flooded
district, that was rapidly drying up.
"I know what I'm going to do," said Blake.
"What?" asked Joe.
"I'm going back to that farm, and finish out my vacation," answered his
chum.
"And I think I'll send the rest of the theatrical company along with
you," said Mr. Ringold. "They are certainly entitled to a rest after
what they've suffered."
And so, for a time, we will take leave of our moving picture boys and
their associates, and say good-bye.
THE END
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TOM SWIFT SERIES
By VICTOR APPLETON
UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.
These spirited tales, convey in a realistic way, the wonderful advances
in land and sea locomotion. Stories like these are impressed upon the
memory and their reading is productive only of good.
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 WIRELESS MESSAGE
TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE
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
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT
TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH
TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS
TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES
BY VICTOR APPLETON
UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.
Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this
line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films
are made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures
to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in
the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along
the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage
beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of
earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be found
interesting from first chapter to last.
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 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEA
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE WAR FRONT
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELDS
MOVING PICTURE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSE
MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARK
MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON BROADWAY
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' NEW IDEA
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES
By GRAHAM B. FORBES
Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen,
the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better
crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All
boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the
towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to
win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at track
athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one
volume of this series will surely want the others.
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH
Or The All Around Rivals of the School
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMOND
Or Winning Out by Pluck
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVER
Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRON
Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICE
Or Out for the Hockey Championship
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICS
Or A Long Run that Won
THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTS
Or Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats
12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in cloth, with cover
design and wrappers in colors.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES
By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN
The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a
small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and are
greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They have
motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go
everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories give
full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals
and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim,
etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS
Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE
Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST
Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF
Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME
Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT
Or The Rivals of the Mississippi.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODS
Or The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run.
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINT
Or The Golden Cup Mystery.
12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely
bound in Cloth.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of "The Bobbsey Twins Series."
12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING
The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is an
actor who has taken up work for the "movies." Both girls wish to aid him
in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts of
pictures.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS, Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas.
Having lost his voice, the father of the girls goes into the movies
and the girls follow. Tells how many "parlor dramas" are filmed.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM, Or Queer Happenings While Taking
Rural Plays.
Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps of taking film plays,
and giving an account of two unusual discoveries.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND, Or The Proof on the Film.
A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness, showing how the
photo-play actors sometimes suffer.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS, Or Lost in the Wilds of
Florida.
How they went to the land of palms, played many parts in dramas before
the camera; were lost, and aided others who were also lost.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH, Or Great Days Among the
Cowboys.
All who have ever seen moving pictures of the great West will want to
know just how they are made. This volume gives every detail and is
full of clean fun and excitement.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA, Or a Pictured Shipwreck that Became
Real.
A thrilling account of the girls' experiences on the water.
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS IN WAR PLAYS, Or The Sham Battles at Oak Farm.
The girls play important parts in big battle scenes and have plenty of
hard work along with considerable fun.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of the popular "Bobbsey Twin Books" and "Bunny Brown" Series.
UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.
These tales take in the various adventures participated in by several
bright, up-to-date girls who love outdoor life. They are clean and
wholesome, free from sensationalism, and absorbing from the first
chapter to the last.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE
Or Camping and Tramping for Fun and Health.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE
Or Stirring Cruise of the Motor Boat Gem.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR
Or The Haunted Mansion of Shadow Valley.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP
Or Glorious Days on Skates and Ice Boats.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA
Or Wintering in the Sunny South.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW
Or The Box that Was Found in the Sand.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND
Or A Cave and What it Contained.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN ARMY SERVICE
Or Doing Their Bit for Uncle Sam.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT THE HOSTESS HOUSE
Or Doing Their Best for the Soldiers.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT BLUFF POINT
Or A Wreck and A Rescue.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT WILD ROSE LODGE
Or The Hermit of Moonlight Falls.
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN THE SADDLE
Or The Girl Miner of Gold Run.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES
By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON
12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.
Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. The
girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with
interest in school and out. There are many contested matches on track
and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on
the school stage. There is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure
and wholesome.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH, Or Rivals for all Honors.
A stirring tale of high school life, full of fun, with a touch of
mystery and a strange initiation.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA, Or The Crew That Won.
Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of fine times in camp.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL, Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery.
Here we have a number of thrilling contests at basketball and in
addition, the solving of a mystery which had bothered the high school
authorities for a long while.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE, Or The Play That Took the Prize.
How the girls went in for theatricals and how one of them wrote a play
which afterward was made over for the professional stage and brought
in some much-needed money.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD, Or The Girl Champions of
the School League.
This story takes in high school athletics in their most approved and
up-to-date fashion. Full of fun and excitement.
THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH IN CAMP, Or The Old Professor's Secret.
The girls went camping on Acorn Island and had a delightful time at
boating, swimming and picnic parties.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS
For Little Men and Women
By LAURA LEE HOPE
Author of "The Bunny Brown" Series, Etc.
12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING.
Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books that
charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire.
THE BOBBSEY TWINS
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK