"That's the stuff!" muttered Bandy-legs.
"M-m-me too!" added Toby.
Max took one last look up the river. As he did so he saw that there was now a decided movement aboard the floating mass of stuff that was coming down toward the bridge.
Whatever it was that had been lying there now struggled to its feet.
"Oh! would you look at that?" exclaimed Steve.
"Must be a calf!" echoed Bandy-legs.
"I'd s-s-say a yeller dog!" Toby declared.
"Anyhow it's an animal and not a human being," said Max; "and things are getting too shaky for us to stay any longer out here, and take chances, just to try and save a dog or a calf or a goat. Let's put for the shore, boys!"
"And every fellow run for it too!" added Steve, as again they felt that terrible shudder pass through the wooden structure that had spanned the Evergreen Elver as far back as they could remember; and which somehow forcibly reminded Max of the spasm apt to run through the muscles of a stricken animal before giving up the ghost.
That was enough to start them with a rush. Once they gave way to the feeling that it was close on the breaking point for the bridge and what might be likened to a small-sized panic took possession of them all.