black monster on wheels went crashing over it.

Tom and the school-master were working the raft slowly to the shore now, and,
a little farther down, Chad could see more rafts tied up--rafts, rafts,
nothing but rafts on the river, everywhere! Up the bank a mighty buzzing was
going on, amid a cloud of dust, and little cars with logs on them were
shooting about amid the gleamings of many saws, and, now and then, a log would
leap from the river and start up toward that dust-cloud with two glistening
iron teeth sunk in one end and a long iron chain stretching up along a groove
built of boards--and Heaven only knew what was pulling it up. On the bank was
a stout, jolly-looking man, whose red, kind face looked familiar to Chad, as
he ran down shouting a welcome to the Squire. Then the raft slipped along
another raft, Tom sprang aboard it with the grape-vine cable, and the
school-master leaped aboard with another cable from the stern.

"Why, boy," cried the stout man. "Where's yo' dog?" Then Chad recognized him,
for he was none other than the cattle-dealer who had given him Jack.

"I left him at home."

"Is he all right?"

"Yes--I reckon."

"Then I'd like to have him back again."

Chad smiled and shook his head.

"Not much."