He, as well as the others, realized that the raft was a fixture in its
present position, that it would never again float on the bosom of the
great river, and that all dreams of selling it in New Orleans must now
be abandoned. He knew how greatly his father was in need of the money
he had hoped to receive from it. He knew what a blow the loss of the
wheat had been. Now the raft was lost as well. As the unhappy boy's
thoughts travelled back over the incidents of the trip, and he
remembered that but for him the wheat would not have been lost, and but
for him the raft would probably have been sold in St. Louis, his
self-accusations found their way to his eyes, and trickled slowly down
his cheeks in the shape of hot tears. The others could not see them in
the darkness, and he would not have cared much if they could.
But Billy Brackett was not giving way to his grief. There was too much
to be done for that. He was trying to set up the overturned stove, and
make things more comfortable. At the same time his cheery tones were
raising the low spirits of his companions, and causing them to take a
brighter view of the situation.
The young engineer, with Glen and Solon to aid him, worked in darkness,
for the lamp had rolled from the table when the raft struck the stone
tower, and been extinguished in the water that flooded part of the
"shanty.
Pages:
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300