They had not long to wait, for the very next day a huge raft hove in
sight--a real floating island of mighty timbers--and on going out to it
in the _bonne_, Johnston was glad to find that the foreman in charge was
an old friend who would be heartily pleased at having his company for the
rest of the voyage. So he and Frank brought their scanty baggage on
board, and joined themselves to the crew of men that, with the aid of a
towing steamer, were navigating this very strange kind of craft down the
river.

This was an altogether novel experience for Frank, and he found it much
to his liking. The raft was an immense one.

"As fine a lot of square timber as I ever took down," said its captain
proudly. "It's worth five thousand pounds if it's worth a penny."

Five thousand pounds! Frank's eyes opened wide at the mention of this
vast sum, and he wondered to himself if he should ever be the owner of
such a valuable piece of property. Although he had begun as a chore-boy,
his ambition was by no means limited to his becoming in due time a
foreman like Johnston, or even an overseer like Alec Stewart. He allowed
his imagination to carry him forward to a day of still greater things,
when he should be his own master, and have foremen and overseers under
him. This slow sailing down the river was very favourable to day
dreaming, and Frank could indulge himself to his heart's content during
the long lovely spring days. There were more than twoscore men upon the
raft, the majority of them habitants and half-breeds, and they were as
full of songs as robins; especially in the evening after supper, when
they would gather about the great fire always burning on its clay bed in
the centre of the raft, and with solo and chorus awake the echoes of the