By his own desire he was to go
alone in the skiff, except for the companionship of his trusty Bim, who
made a point of accompanying his master everywhere. The young man was
provided with an open letter from Major Caspar, giving him full
authority to take charge of the raft and do with it as he saw fit.
Both Mrs. Caspar and Elta wrote notes to Winn, and gave them to Billy
Brackett to deliver. The major also wrote a line of introduction to an
old soldier who had been his most devoted follower during the war. He
was now living with a married niece near Dubuque, Iowa, and might
possibly prove of assistance during the search for the raft.
Thus equipped, provided with a stock of provisions, and a minute
description of both the raft and of Winn, whom he did not hope to
recognize, the young engineer and his four-footed companion set forth
soon after supper on their search for the missing boy. An hour later
they too were being swept southward by the resistless current of the
great river.
CHAPTER V.
HOW THE VOYAGE WAS BEGUN.
When Winn Caspar turned into his comfortable bunk aboard the raft on
the night of the storm, it never once occurred to him that the
_Venture_ might float before morning. She never had floated, and she
seemed so hard and fast aground that he imagined a rise of several feet
of water would be necessary to move her.
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