neighbors, especially when we know nothing about them. There,
listen to that dog bark; the little rat sees us all right. That's
where we made a mistake not to get a dog to go with us on the
trip; they're good company, and fine for guarding the boat. First
chance I get I mean to have one, no matter if it's a mongrel
yellow cur."

A man stepped out of the cabin of the boat that was tied up and
looked across the little stretch of water separating them.

"Hello!" he said, as if seeing them clearly. "Going to tie up
below?"

Maurice rather liked the ring of his voice, and so he made answer.

"We want to--is there good holding ground or a convenient tree, do
you know?" he asked.

"Yes, half a dozen of 'em. I saw the lot before dark; and the
swing of the current pushes in toward the bank. Don't get too far
in, as she's lowering right along," continued the friendly
flatboatman.

Maurice thanked him, for it was a pleasure to run across a chap so
different from the usual type of selfish, envious and profligate
drifters.

They quickly sighted the trees, and Thad, jumping ashore, soon had
a line fast around one that would hold them safely until daylight.