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It was aa perfectly hopeless one The planking had been so badly crushed that a portion was actually ground into powder, leaving a great gaping hole To patch this we possessed no tool to shape the wood properly, or, indeed, any wood to shape, except the seats of the oarsmen Nor did we possess nails More than one expedient was resorted to with bits of canvas, wooden pegs, or whatsoever else we could lay hands upon, but our efforts resulted each ti before the sun had attained the zenith, the old preacher looked up, disappointrimly: "We waste toil, friends; the boat floats no more for all our labors Nor do I deeer continue to wear ourselves out in vain effort to undo His work"

He wiped the beads of perspiration froh his matted hair

"Were it not for the woman," he added more cheerfully, "the accident would not be so bad either I a boat service, and would welcolanced across uneasily at Madarass in the sunshine, but could perceive nothing except encourage on hts as if reatlyof heart," I returned gravely "But such a trip as now lies before us will test your power of endurance greatly Yet what must be done is best done quickly, and there are unpleasantht Let each one speak frankly his thought as to our future course, so we ht De Noyan, you are a soldier, accustoest?"

He was lying flat upon his back, hands clasped beneath his head, puffs of white s lazily up into the blue sky; nor did he remove the stem from between his lips as he n has ever been with the horse; nor a It would be far easier, I think, to knock up the old boat here; then, hatsoever else we ht find in this God-forsaken wilderness, construct some sort of raft to upbear our company, and so drift doith the stream Parbleu! it would be a relief from those cursed oars If the load be too heavy, the preacher can be left behind; 't would be small loss"