CHAPTER XXIII.
HANS TURNS RIVER DRIVER.
It was afternoon before the lads joined the drive below the falls. The raft had been partly broken up in running through, but it was soon restored again.
Some of the men had shot the falls on the timber, and it was exciting sport to watch them.
Hans Dunnerwust was delighted.
“Dot peen petter than blaying pall!” he cried. “Dot vos shust as easy as nefer vas! You could done dot myseluf!”
“Do you think you could ride through there on those logs?” asked Merriwell.
“It vas a kinch!” declared the Dutch lad. “I vos goin’ to peen a rifer trifer, und dose logs vill haf lots uf fun ridin’ me down der streams. Yaw!”
The wangan boat, used by the cook and cookee in distributing food to the drivers, was put into service in setting the boys on board the raft, which was a great floating mass of timber, securely bound together, with three little cribs, or huts, on it. The cook’s outfit had been taken ashore and carried round the falls, but was brought on board the raft again in quiet water below.