"
"We are in about the same fix," said Billy Brackett, who had been in
earnest consultation with Solon. "I didn't realize until this minute
that we had given away nearly the whole of our own supply. Now I find
that the few things we had left are under water, and most of them are
spoiled."
At this announcement every one suddenly discovered that he was
intensely hungry; while Bim, seated on his haunches and waving his
fore-paws, began to "speak" vigorously for his breakfast.
CHAPTER XL.
A MEETING OF MATES.
With starvation staring our raftmates in the face, the problem of how
they were to escape from their present predicament became a most
important one. The first suggestion was that they construct a small
and easily managed raft from a portion of the material contained in the
_Venture_. They foresaw that it would be impossible for them to propel
even this against the swift current and reach the river, where they
might procure relief from some passing boat. Still, even to drift with
the current, or at the best to work their way diagonally across it,
with the hope of reaching some source of food supply, seemed better
than to remain where they were, and accordingly they began to collect
material for a raft.
They had hardly started at this when Worth called out that he saw a
canoe lodged in a clump of shrubbery.
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