For the first time that night he began to despair; but the game was not played out yet, he told himself grimly, and spurred a last gallop out of his staggering horse, and pounded up the rise of the bank and on to the hotel, to gather what news of the flood he might.
He found Dan the trooper there, and a little gathering of townsfolk. The river was rising inches every hour they told him, and they were beginning to fear it would come over the higher bank on the township’s side, as it had done on the other. The flats for twenty to thirty miles back from the river would be flooded on the Coolongolong side, but on the other bank the ground was higher, and none of it was covered yet.
“There’s a man and a girl in a buggy somewhere out there on our flats,” said Steve, “and I’m going to ride up the east bank and swim for it across to the highest ground on the other side. Who can let me have a horse?”
“Steve,” said the trooper, “it’s mad ye are surely. Ye’d have fifteen or twenty mile to swim before ever you struck ground. There’s deep water for all that distance back, an’ the river itsilf is comin’ down boilin’ like a potato pot an’ runnin’ strong as a steamer. Let be, lad, let be. Ye can do nothing.”
“A boat,” said Steve, eagerly. “Is there a boat to be had?”
“There’s a boat or two belongin’ to the township here,” said Dan; “but there’s no boat’s crew that iver pulled a stroke could make head up against that current.”
Steve knew that he was right, and he groaned. “I can’t stand idle here while they drown,” he said. “They’ll be on the high ground, if any of it’s uncovered, and the water creeping up on them. I’ll ride up the bank and swim for it, as I thought first.”
“There used to be a boat up at Battle Creek,” said one of the townsmen. “You might ride to there and get it, and make over the river.”
Steve turned to him eagerly. “Good,” he said eagerly. “That’s the best I’ve heard this night. Will there be oars in her?”
“She belongs to Seaman Dick West,” said the man, “and he’s sure to have everything for her. He’s workin’ up at the Creek, an’ keeps the boat for crossin’ or goin’ after the duck.”