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 hand,
so doing! Upside down or wedged across a channel under water, trees were
all the same to Hervey Willetts. He lived in trees. He knew nothing
whatever about the different kinds of trees and he could not tell spruce
from walnut. But he could hang by one leg from a rotten branch, the
while playing a harmonica. He was for the boy scout movement, because he
was for movement generally. As long as the scouts kept moving, he was
with them. He had a lot of merit badges but he did not know how many.
"He should worry," as Roy said of him.
"Here's a good one--known as the jazzy-jump," he exclaimed. "Put your
left foot...."
"You put your left foot on the trunk and don't let go the branches and
follow me," said Tom, soberly. "Do you think this is a picnic we're on?"
"After you, my dear Tomasso," said Hervey, blithely. "I guess we're not
going to be killed after all, hey?"
"I'm afraid not," said Tom.
"I wish I had an ice cream soda, I know that," said Roy.
"Careful how you step ashore now," Tom said.
"Terra cotta at last," said Roy; "I mean terra firma."
"Jump it," called Hervey, who was behind Roy.
Thus, emerging from a peril, which none but Tom had fully realized, they
found themselves on the comparatively low shore of the cove. The tree,
itself a victim of the storm, poked its branches up out of the black
water like specters, which seemed the more grewsome as they swayed in
the wind. These had guided the little party to shore.
So it was that that once stately denizen of the lofty forest had paused
here to make a last stand against the storm which had uprooted it. So it
was that this fallen monarch, friend of the scouts, had contrived to
check somewhat the mad rush of water out of their beloved lake, and had
guided four of them to safety.