Afloat on the Flood, Page 5

  CHAPTER V

  THE PRICE THEY PAID

  "Look at him, would you?" ventured Bandy-legs, a minute later. "Heacts like he was trying to see if the bridge was steady, the way he'strying to shake it. Bet you he feels that quivering, and it's givinghim a bad case of cold feet already. They went and dared him to comeout here, and Shack never would stand for a dare, you know. But he'ssorry he came."

  The other boy approached them. He was looking more serious than mostpeople had ever seen him appear. Just as Bandy-legs said, no doubt hehad been forced into testing the bridge by some dare on the part of hiscronies, who had told him he didn't have the nerve to go Max and hiscrowd one better by walking all the way across the bridge, so as to bethe last who could say he had done it.

  While still keeping a sharp lookout up the river the four chums awaitedthe coming of Shack Beggs; and that the caution given by Bandy-legs hadfallen on good ground where it took root, was proven by the way theymoved back from the railing.

  If the young desperado had any bold intention of trying to upset one ofthe three chums into the river, he would not find it so easy to carryout his reckless plan, for they were evidently on the alert, and readyto match cunning with cunning.

  Shack shuffled forward slowly. He may have originally thought it wouldbe the easiest thing in the world to walk across the bridge and back;but that was before he had set foot on the quivering planks, andexperienced the full effect of that sickening vibration. Now he walkedas though he might be stepping on eggs. Several times he even stopped,and looked around. Perhaps he simply wanted to know how far out fromthe shore he might be; or else he felt an almost irresistible yearningto hurry back to safety and tell his cronies they could try the trickfor themselves, if they wanted.

  Some sort of pride caused him to come on. Max and his friends werethere, and Shack Beggs would sooner die than let them see he lacked thestamina they were so freely showing.

  All the same he looked anything but happy as he drew closer. It wasone thing to stand on a firm foundation ashore, and look out at theheaving flood, and another to find himself there surrounded by thewaters, with but a slender thread connecting him with either bank, andall that furious flood trying its best to break this asunder.

  "Better come back, Shack!" could be heard in a rasping voice from theshore, and Ossie Kemp was seen making a megaphone out of his two hands.

  Shack would no doubt have liked to do this same thing; but he felt thatit must look too much like cowardice in the eyes of Max, whom he hatedso bitterly. Besides he had started out to show the people of Carsonthat these four chums did not monopolize all the courage in town; andit was really too late to turn back now.

  So Shack came slowly on until he had reached the others.

  Under ordinary conditions he would never have ventured to say a singleword to any one of the four chums; or if he did, it would have probablybeen in the nature of an ugly growl, and some sarcastic comment ontheir personal appearance, with the sinister hope of provoking adispute that might lead to a scuffle.

  Things somehow seemed different now. Shack must have left most of hispugnacious disposition ashore; when his nerves were quivering with eachsickening shake of the bridge he could not find it in him to assume hiscustomary boastful look.

  And seeing Max close Shack even ventured to speak decently to him,something he would never have dreamed of doing had the conditions beenother than they were.

  "The fellers they sez I dassent cross over tuh t'other end uh thebridge; an' I allowed it could be done easy like," he went on to say;"what d'ye think 'bout me adoin' the same? Is she safe enough?"

  "We wouldn't be here if we didn't think so," Max told him; "and I guessthere isn't any more danger on the other side than in the middle."

  "T'anks!" Shack jerked out; and then as the bridge gave a little harderquiver than usual he looked frightened, and even clutched frenziedly atthe railing.

  Bandy-legs must have fancied that the other was reaching out to layhands on him, for he immediately shouted:

  "Keep back there! Don't you dare touch a finger to me, or I'll seethat you go over the railing head-first! We're on to your sly tricks,Shack Beggs! You didn't come out here for nothing, I take it!"

  Shack however had managed to overcome his sudden fear. He shot a blackscowl in the direction of Bandy-legs, and then once more started tomove along; but by now his timidity had over-mastered his valor, as wasmade manifest in the way he kept moving his hand along the railing, asthough unwilling to try to stand alone.

  Although they no longer had any reason to feel that the other meantthem any ill turn, the four chums watched him curiously.

  "I'd just like to be able to give the bridge a good shake," Bandy-legsdeclared, "to see him crumple up, and yell. Chances are it'd scare himout of a year's growth."

  "Huh! better not try any fool play like that," suggested Steve;"because there's too much tremble to the old thing right now to suitme. If Max only said the word I'd be willing to skip out of this,that's right."

  "S-s-s'pose we all did run for it," remarked Toby, who had been silenta long time; "wouldn't Shack come c-c-chasing after us like h-h-hotcakes, though?"

  "We'll limit our stay to another five minutes, no more," Max told them."I put it at that because I believe before then we'll be able to saywhether that thing coming down the river is a raft with somebodyaboard, or just a jumble of logs, and stuff set afloat by the highwater."

  Apparently none of the others had up to then noticed what Max referredto, and consequently there was a craning, of necks, and a straining ofeyes, until Steve was fain to call out "rubber!" in his jocular way.

  There was something in sight, far up the river. If they only had theirfield glass along with them it would be easy to tell the nature of theobject; but lacking so useful an article they could only possess theirsouls in patience, and wait.

  The seconds passed, and all the while the current of the river wasbringing that object closer to them. Max found himself wishing itwould hasten, for truth to tell he did not much like the way the bridgewas trembling now. Instead of occasional vibrations it seemed to be asteady pull, as though the force of the flood had reached a point whereit could not be much longer held back.

  Some of those ashore were shouting to them again, as though their fearshad broken out once more, and they wished the boys would not persist intaking such great chances, even though in a good cause.

  A minute had gone.

  "Looks like a raft to me," announced Bandy-legs, presently, and theothers were inclined to agree with him that far.

  "But is there any one aboard?" asked Max.

  "I c'n see something there, but just what it might be I wouldn't liketo say," the boy with the eagle eye announced.

  Still they lingered, although those heavings were gradually growing atrifle more pronounced all the while. They must have shattered whatlittle nerve Shack Beggs had remaining, for although he had not gonemore than half way between the four chums and the further shore, he hadturned around, and was now approaching them again. His face lookedstrangely ghastly, owing to his deadly fear; and the way in which Shacktried to force a grin upon it only made matters worse.

  He had the appearance of one who was solemnly promising himself that ifonly he might be allowed to reach a haven of safety again he wouldnever more be guilty of attempting such a silly act on account of adare.

  In fact, Shack was watching the chums eagerly every second of the timenow. He depended on them to serve as his barometer. Should they makea sudden move toward the Carson side of the river he was in readinessto fairly fly along, in the hope of catching up with them.

  Max turned his attention once more up the stream, and toward thatapproaching floating object. He wondered whether he was going to becalled upon to once more make use of that friendly rope in rescuingsome flood sufferer from peril.

  After all Bandy-legs was not so sure about its being a raft. He beganto hedge, and change his mind.

  "Might be o
nly a bunch of fence rails, and such stuff, that's gotdriven together in the flood, and is coming down on us in a heap," heannounced. Max had about come to the same conclusion himself, thoughhesitating to announce his opinion while the others seemed to have anentirely different idea about the thing.

  "But do you see that dark object on it move any?" he asked Bandy-legs.

  "Well, now, seemed to me it did move just then," came the answer, thatcaused the boys to once more rivet their gaze on the approaching float,while their nerves began, to tingle with suspense.

  A few seconds later and Toby declared that he too had seen the thingraise its head; though he hastily added:

  "But it didn't act like a h-h-human b-b-being any that I could notice."

  "What in the dickens can it be?" Steve was asking, and then he gave asort of gasp, for the bridge had actually swayed in a way that caused.his heart to seemingly stand still.

  "She's agoing to move out right away, I do believe, boys!" criedBandy-legs, as he looked longingly toward the shore.

  There was Shack Beggs almost half-way to the end of the bridge, andwalking as fast as he could. From his manner it looked as though Shackwould only too gladly have sprinted for the land, only that he hated tohear the jeering remarks which his cronies were sure to send at him forshowing the white feather; so he compromised by walking ever so fast.

  "Hadn't we better be going, Max?" asked Steve.

  "That's the stuff!" muttered Bandy-legs.

  "M-m-me too!" added Toby.

  Max took one last look up the river. As he did so he saw that therewas now a decided movement aboard the floating mass of stuff that wascoming down toward the bridge.

  Whatever it was that had been lying there now struggled to its feet.

  "Oh! would you look at that?" exclaimed Steve.

  "Must be a calf!" echoed Bandy-legs.

  "I'd s-s-say a yeller dog!" Toby declared.

  "Anyhow it's an animal and not a human being," said Max; "and thingsare getting too shaky for us to stay any longer out here, and takechances, just to try and save a dog or a calf or a goat. Let's put forthe shore, boys!"

  "And every fellow run for it too!" added Steve, as again they felt thatterrible shudder pass through the wooden structure that had spanned theEvergreen Elver as far back as they could remember; and which somehowforcibly reminded Max of the spasm apt to run through the muscles of astricken animal before giving up the ghost.

  That was enough to start them with a rush. Once they gave way to thefeeling that it was close on the breaking point for the bridge and whatmight be likened to a small-sized panic took possession of them all.

  Shack Beggs somehow seemed to scent their coming. Perhaps he felt thevibrations increase, or else the shouts that both Steve and Bandy-legsgave utterance to reached his strained hearing.

  At any rate Shack twisted his head, and looked back over his shoulder.If he had been anxious to reach the shore before, he was fairly wildnow to accomplish that same object. They could see him take a spurt.He no longer deigned to walk, but ran as though in a race; as indeedall of them were, even though as yet they hardly comprehended the fact.

  It might be possible that this was the worst thing the boys could havedone, and that had they been contented to walk quietly toward land theymight have spared the already badly racked bridge a new strain.

  Max, looking back later on, came to this same conclusion; but, then healways declared that if one only knew how things were about to comeout, he could alter his plans accordingly; in other words he quoted theold and familiar saying to the effect that "what wonders we couldaccomplish if our foresight were only as good as our hindsight."

  The shaking of the structure by the scampering along of five boys musthave been pretty much like the last straw added to the camel's pack.

  "Faster, everybody!" Max shouted, as he heard a strange grinding noisethat struck a cold chill to his very heart.

  Bandy-legs was in front, and really setting the pace, and as everybodyin Carson knew full well, he was the poorest pacemaker possible, onaccount of his exceedingly short and rather bent legs. This causedthem to be held back more or less, though when it came down to actualfiguring nothing they could have done would have altered the complexionof conditions.

  The grinding noise turned into a frightful rending that sounded intheir ears as though all sorts of superstructures might be separating.All the while there was a swaying of the timbers of the strickenbridge, a sickening sensation such as might be experienced when out atsea and caught in a cross current.

  Max realized that it was useless for them to think of reaching thesafety of the shore which was too far away; even Shack Beggs had beenunable to accomplish the end he had in view, though he was stillstaggering on.

  "Grab something, and keep holding on for all you're worth!"

  That was about all Max could say, for hardly had the last word left hislips when there came a final jerk that threw them all down; and onlyfor having caught hold of the railing one or more of the boys mighthave been tumbled into the river.

  At the same time one end of the bridge broke away, the entire structureswung around so that it started to point down stream; then the straincaused the other end to also free itself from its moorings; after whichthe whole fabric fell over with a mighty splash, while the crowdsashore stared in horror at the spectacle, knowing as they did that theboys had been engulfed with the falling timbers.