at the little girl. "He's a-comin' back, honey--Chad's a-comin' back." And
Chad nodded brightly, but Melissa drew her apron across her mouth, dropped her
eyes to the old rifle in the boy's lap, and did not smile.

All were aboard now--Dolph and Rube, old Squire Middleton, and the
school-master, all except Tall Tom, who stood by the tree to unwind the cable.

"Hold on!" shouted the Squire.

A raft shot suddenly around the bend above them and swept past with the Dillon
brothers Jake and Jerry, nephews of old Tad Dillon, at bow and stern--passed
with a sullen wave from Jerry and a good-natured smile from stupid Jake.

"All right," Tom shouted, and he unwound the great brown pliant vine from the
sycamore and leaped aboard. Just then there was a mad howl behind the house
and a gray streak of light flashed over the bank and Jack, with a wisp of rope
around his neck, sprang through the air from a rock ten feet high and landed
lightly on the last log as the raft shot forward. Chad gulped once and his
heart leaped with joy, for he had agreed to leave Jack with old Joel, and old
Joel had tied the dog in the barn.

"Hi!" shouted the old hunter. "Throw that dawg off, Chad--throw him off."

But Chad shook his head and smiled.

"He won't go back," he shouted, and, indeed, there was Jack squatted on his
haunches close by his little master and looking gravely back as though he were
looking a last good-by.