The car churned through it without the engine damping out. But a short distance ahead they came to another area of flooded pavement, more extensive and apparently much deeper.
“Wonder if we can make it?” Mr. Hatfield remarked.
Doubtful that the car could negotiate the water, he parked and walked down the road to investigate. Brad and Dan also alighted, following the Cub leader.
“We probably can get through all right,” Mr. Hatfield said after making an inspection. “But there’s likely to be more water ahead. Perhaps we’d better go back and take another road.”
While Brad and the Cub leader discussed what to do, Dan, who had been gazing out across the dark ribbon of river, suddenly noticed a shadowy object lodged some ten yards from shore.
“Mr. Hatfield!” he exclaimed. “Look over there! Could that be our missing boat?”
The Cub leader flashed his light on the area in the river which Dan indicated. A rowboat, plainly the one which had floated away from Rabb Island, had snagged against a bush in the backwash of the flooded river.
“Sure enough, it’s Mr. Holloway’s boat!” the Cub leader exclaimed. “You have keen eyesight, Dan!”
“The boat doesn’t look as if it will hold there very long,” Brad observed anxiously. “See! The current is teetering it back and forth now!”
“If only we had another boat, we could go after it,” Mr. Hatfield said. “By morning, it may not be here.”