How were we to reach the
camp? One of the men had evidently seen us and was pointing us out to his
companion. We rushed down the Jacob's Ladder, but by the time we reached
the river bank they were in midstream and heading rapidly northward. Our
shouts merely brought forth derisive laughter. We were certainly in a
predicament. First we ran back up the cliff, and tried from there to gain
the attention of the rest of the fellows. They evidently saw us but
couldn't make out what we wanted. Then we ran down to a point opposite the
island and called to them. But the wind was against us and we couldn't
make them hear, so we had to plunge in and wade across.
A Council of War.
Immediately we summoned a war council. Dutchy and Jack were chosen by lot
to guard the camp, while the rest of us started in pursuit in canoes. By
the time we got under way the sun had dropped back of the Pennsylvania
hills and the shadows were climbing slowly up the Jacob's Ladder. Swiftly
we paddled up-stream, keeping close to the western shore, where the water
was very quiet. We didn't expect to go far, because there were rapids less
than three miles up, and we were sure that no tramps would ever be
ambitious enough to row a heavy scow against the swift current at that
point.
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