“You’ll get pretty wet, especially if you slip into a deep hole,” returned Andy.
“I’ll take off part of my clothing,” returned Matt, and he did so without delay.
The water was colder than he had anticipated, and he shivered slightly as he waded in deeper and deeper.
“Can you swim, should you slip?” called out Andy anxiously.
“Yes, I can swim,” returned Matt, “but I hope that won’t be necessary!”
Moving along cautiously where the rocks stuck up the highest, the young auctioneer worked his way slowly over to the island he had previously pointed out. It was painful work, for he had taken off his shoes, and now he found the bottom in many places cut his feet. But at last the island was reached, and he walked out upon the dry ground.
It did not take Matt long to discover the wagon tracks for which he was searching. They were close at hand, and led almost in a straight line across the little patch, which was not over two hundred feet in width.
“Here they are!” he shouted back to the others. “He went right across just as I supposed.”
“Humph! Now what is to be done?” questioned the agent, with a perplexed look upon his face.