A few seconds before the boy had caught up the sharp hatchet lying near the cabin, and intended for use of splitting fuel for the stove. With two quick blows he severed the rope which held the stern. The latter yielded to the strong current dashing against it, and began swinging around, so that it quickly lay parallel with the river, with the bow pointing up stream, and held securely by the rope fastened at that end.
This was no more than fairly done when the enormous raft swept past, so close that the nearest log was heard scraping the entire length of the boat. The impact drove it clear, and before any one beside the boy realized how it was done the entire structure had gone by, no damage was done and all were safe.
"Jim," said Mr. Hunter, a minute after, when the flurry was over, "what a set of fools we were that we didn't think of that."
"I don't agree with you," replied the other, "because no one would have thought of it except that youngster."
"Tim," added the father, placing his hand affectionately on his head, "I am proud of you."
And the little fellow blushed and replied:
"I'm glad I happened to think of it in time, but it was rather close, wasn't it?"
"It couldn't have been more so, and but for you boat and cargo would have been a dead loss, and more than likely some of us would have lost our lives."
That night at the supper table, Mr. Hunter remarked with a meaning smile:
"Maggie, the Hunter family contains a fool and a genius, I'm not the genius and 'Mit' isn't the fool."