"I don't see how it's going to be done," said Harvey, as they ran down
to the edge of the water. "I reckon we'll have to holler our messages
across, as Tony said; only there isn't anybody to holler to."

"I don't know how it's to be done either," said Harry; "but one of us
must get over, some way or other."

"Couldn't we wade to the bridge," asked Harvey, "and then walk over on
it? I don't believe it's more than up to our waists on the bridge."

"You don't know how deep it is," said Harry; "and when you get to the
bridge, ten to one more than half the planks have been floated off, and
you'd go slump to the bottom of the creek before you knew it. There's no
way but to get a boat."

"I don't know where you're going to find one," said Harvey. "There's a
boat up at the mill-pond, but you couldn't get it out and down here in
much less than a day."

"John Walker has his boat afloat again," said Harry, "but that's over on
the other side. What a nuisance it is that there isn't anybody over
there! If we didn't want 'em, there'd be about sixty or seventy darkies
hanging about now."

"Oh, no!" said Harvey, "not so many as that; not over forty-seven."

"I'm going over to Lewston's. Perhaps he knows of a boat," said Harry;
and away he ran.