CHAPTER XXIII
THE LOST ONES
The raft, pushed hard against the end of the island by the power of theriver current, buckled. The middle part rose up in the shape of theinverted letter V. The logs tore from their fastenings of ropes andchains, and broke and splintered one against the other.
"Come on!" yelled Blake. "Save what we can!"
He and the others rushed into the cabin, where their things had beenstored. There was no food to be saved, and no time to roll off the waterbarrel. They would have to take their chances of finding a spring on theisland, or drink the river water.
"The cameras! The films!" cried Joe, again. "Save them!"
He and his chum gave their attention to these. With them in their armsthey rushed, as best they could, over the raft toward land. Mr. Piperand the manager looked after the clothing and bedding.
By this time the raft had swung around, broadside to the island,bringing the cabin that much nearer the shore. This made it more easy tosave what few belongings they could take with them.
Back and forth they ran from the raft to the island. The cameras and thefilms were put in a safe place, and then the two moving picture boyshelped in removing the other belongings.
Some clothing, some bedding, an axe, the rifle, and a few other thingswere all they had time to save. Then, with a splintering of timbers, acracking of chains and a parting of ropes, the raft divided into twoparts, one being swept down one side of the island, and the otherportion down the opposite shore.
Blake, Joe and the two men stood beside their little heap of belongings,looking at one another with solemn faces.
For a moment no one spoke. They looked at the logs, rushing on down theriver, and then Blake said:
"Well, things haven't stopped happening yet."
"I should say not!" cried Joe. "This is worse and more of it. Whatnext?"
"No telling," said C. C., gloomily. "We'll probably starve here."
"Oh, I hope not!" said Mr. Ringold, with assumed cheerfulness. "There'sprobably a restaurant around the corner. We'll go there and have someroast chicken. Don't all speak at once."
To the credit of Mr. Piper be it said that he laughed. His gloomyperiods seemed to be leaving him.
"Well, let's see where we're at," suggested Mr. Ringold. "What have wehere?"
"Nothing to eat; that's certain," remarked Joe. "And I could take in awhole----"
"Don't you dare say porterhouse steak!" interrupted Blake. "That wouldbe adding insult to injury."
"All right; then I won't," agreed Joe.
"It's coming on night," spoke Mr. Ringold. "If we can't have supper wemust, at least, provide some sort of shelter. We have some blankets, andwe can cut down poles, and make a tent. It looks as though it was goingto rain again."
"It sure does," agreed Blake. "We've got to have some sort of shelter."
"To say nothing of something to eat," added Joe, in a low voice.
"Eat! I'd give a good bit, just for a muskrat sandwich!" said Blake.
Tired and discouraged, but still not giving up all hope, our friends setto work to make a rude tent. By the use of blankets and poles they madeone, well up from the water.
Fortunately the island was of high, sloping formation, and, knowing thatthe river might rise suddenly, they went far enough away from the edge,to preclude any possibility of being overwhelmed in the night.
"This must be a big island," observed Joe, as he and Blake workedtogether. "When the water is at the regular level it must be some milesacross."
"I guess it is," agreed his chum.
Penetrating into the woods, in search of more tent poles, Blake uttereda cry of surprise.
"What's the matter?" shouted Joe. "Have you found anything?"
"I should say I had!" answered Blake, as he came rushing out with asquare tin box in his arms. "Look here! Pilot biscuit--a whole tin ofit, and only a little of it is wet! This will keep us alive for a while,anyhow."
"Where in the world did you find it?" asked Joe.
"Back there, by that big tree. It must have been washed down here by theflood."
"I don't care how it got here," cried Joe, "give me some."
Mr. Ringold and Mr. Piper came up on the run to view the find. As Blakehad said, it was a large tin of pilot biscuit, and only a little waterhad come in, thanks to the waxed paper covering.
"Say, if we only had the clam chowder that goes with these crackers,wouldn't it be great!" mumbled Joe, as he took another pilot biscuit.
"Quit it!" begged Blake.
For, be it known, pilot biscuit are large, hard, round crackers, made onpurpose for serving with clam chowder, with which they make a mostexcellent combination.
As they sat there in the dusk, making a meal off these crackers anddrinking water (a spring having been found), Mr. Piper asked:
"Where did you say you found these, Blake?"
"Right up there, on that little knoll, by the big tree."
"And how did you say you thought they got there?"
"Why, I suppose the flood must have carried away a country store, andwashed the box up there."
"Did you see any other stuff washed up there--anything other thandebris, or anything else in the eating line?"
"Not a thing--I wish I had."
"Well," remarked Mr. Piper, "I don't wish to raise false hopes, oranything like that, but I should say that this tin of pilot biscuit wasdropped, or left, up there by someone who has been on, or who is stillon, this island!"
"You mean--people?" cried Blake, leaping to his feet in surprise.
"That's what I mean. Why, this box of crackers never was washed up thereby the flood--the water didn't come high enough. That box was droppedthere by someone who took refuge on this island."
For a moment no one spoke, after C. C.'s announcement. Then Mr. Ringoldremarked:
"I believe you're right!"
"Of course I'm right," declared the actor. "Why, it stands to reasonthat the box of biscuit was never washed up here. The flood hasn't gotthat high yet."
"And do you think whoever dropped it is still here?" asked Joe.
"That's more than I can say," went on Mr. Piper. "They may have beenhere a short time, and gone off again. Pilot biscuit is often carried onboats, for it keeps well, and is always good eating. Some boating partymay have been here before the flood, having a picnic, as it were."
"Don't talk of picnics!" begged Blake. "It makes me think of good thingsto eat."
"Well, aren't you eating?" Joe wanted to know, with a grim smile.
"It's better than nothing," admitted Blake, as he took another cracker.
Our friends passed a wretched night. If you have ever tried to sleep ina leaky tent, in the rain, having had nothing worth while to eat, and,at the same time, anxious about your safety, you can, perhaps, imaginewhat Blake, Joe and the others suffered. They slept in fitful dozes, inspite of their wretchedness, and how they welcomed the morning light,raining though it was!
"First call for breakfast!" shouted Joe, as he brought out the tin ofbiscuits. "Regular prison fare--bread and water," he commented, with alaugh.
"Well, it's better than nothing," declared Mr. Piper, and the othersrejoiced that, in this time of adversity, he could be so cheerful.
Leaving the cameras and films under cover of the tent and some blankets,as well as in the water-proof coverings, the party set off on a tour ofexploration.
"We'll see if there are any persons on this island," said Mr. Ringold.
Through the rain they started off. It was not easy going, and they wereweak from lack of proper food.
But, doggedly, they kept on. There was a hill in about the centre of theisland, a hill that would seem to give a good view of the surroundingland.
Blake reached the summit first. He looked about him, and then gazed,steadfastly and earnestly, into a little glade that was below him.
"See anything?" asked Joe, as he panted up after his chum.
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"I don't know--I--I----" and Blake's voice trembled. "Are those tentsdown there, Joe, or--or is it only mist?"
"They're tents all right, old man! Big tents, too! Say, there are peoplehere!" he fairly shouted.
"Come on!" cried Blake, starting down the slope.
They fairly ran down the hill. A little way from the tents the party ofrefugees came to a halt. Blake rubbed his eyes, as though to brush awayclinging cobwebs. He stared at a girl who came from one of the tents.
"Birdie Lee!" he gasped.
"Blake Stewart!" came the surprised answer. "You here!"
And the two stared wonderingly at each other.