Milton did not speak during his passage. His fortitude and endurance
were very touching to Enoch whose admiration for the young leader
increased from hour to hour. Jonas boiled the coffee and heated the
noon portions of beans and goat. It was entirely inadequate for the
appetites of the hard working crew. Enoch wondered if the others felt
as hollow and uncertain-kneed, as he did, but he said nothing nor did
they.
There was considerable drift wood lodged against the spit of sand and
from it, Jonas, with a shout that was half a sob, dragged a broken
board on which appeared in red letters, "-a-che."
"All that's left of the prettiest, spunkiest little boat that ever
fought a dirty river!" he mourned. "I'm going to put this in my
dunnage bag and if we ever do get home, I'll have it framed."
The others smiled in sympathy. "I wonder if Hard has found Forr, yet?"
said Milton, uneasily. "I can't keep them off my mind."
"I wouldn't be surprised if they both had run on Curly and Mack's
outfit by this time," Agnew answered cheerfully. "It's funny we didn't
think of them instead of Diana Allen, last night."
"Not so very funny, either," returned Milton with an attempt at a
smile. "I'll bet most of us have thought of Miss Allen forty times to
once of the men, ever since we met her.
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