“We must check her speed gradually. In such a current as this to stop her suddenly would sling her against some tree like a whip cracker.”
Then he turned to Irv, and said, “Take another line, and do the same thing on another tree.”
By the time that Irv pushed off in his skiff Will had got his line in place around a tree, and had rowed away fifty yards with the end of it. As it tightened, the rope began slipping on the tree, dragging the skiff toward it. Phil called to Will:—
“Don’t get hurt, Will! Let go your rope when you are dragged nearly to the tree.”
Will did so just in time to save himself from an ugly collision, but his efforts had considerably checked the flatboat’s speed, and by the time he let go the line Irv had the other rope around a tree and was repeating the operation. This second line brought the boat to a standstill, and under Phil’s direction she was securely made fast both bow and stern, so that she could not swing about in any direction.
[CHAPTER XXIV]
A LITTLE AMATEUR SURGERY