“He’s gone under the raft!” exclaimed Tom.
“Cut her apart!” Big Joe yelled. “Never mind them timbers now. The boss is under ’em!”
Recklessly the men chopped the fastenings they had so labored to secure. A crib swung aside and left a strip of black water—empty. Another gap opened, and this time something was floating on it. In another moment a pike hooked the floating clothing, and they drew the lumberman out upon the logs. He was quite unconscious.
“He’s dead!” Tom gasped.
“You bet he ain’t,” said Lynch, who had put his head over the dripping figure. “He’s breathin’, and his heart’s a-beatin’ strong. He ain’t drowned—just knocked out. He’ll come to!”
The men carried him carefully to the center of the raft, the safest place, and Tom sat down beside him in unspeakable anxiety. The men were working afresh to secure the cribs they had cut apart, but for the moment Tom had lost his concern for the raft. Mr. Jackson did not “come to,” as they had hoped. He breathed, but seemed in a heavy stupor, from which he could not rouse. Tom feared his skull might be fractured, and there was no doctor nearer than Ormond.
The other boat came back with three men and more supplies, and the whole crew worked more furiously than ever. Whenever any of them passed the center of the raft they paused to ask after the “boss” and hurried on again. The raft still held together, but Tom gave it only scant thought; and as he sat by his father’s side he saw at last the grayness of dawn begin to spread over the lake.
CHAPTER XI
FIRE AND WATER
The raft was now nearing the northwestern shore of the lake, and luckily its course seemed to carry it into a wide bay, where it would be somewhat sheltered from the weather. The wind was lessening a little, it seemed. It had done deadly work, however. The raft seemed to have lost a third of its area, and all around could be seen floating masses of the soft-wood cribs, which had mostly spilled their walnut loose. But Tom looked at it almost indifferently. His whole thought was concentrated on his father, who still lay unconscious, with a deathlike face.
Big Joe came up and looked down sorrowfully at the boss.