“There she goes!” called out Billy, almost in awe; and as Hugh glanced toward the house they had just left he was in time to see it roll completely over, and then float down with the swirling current to become its plaything until finally it would go to pieces.
“Well, we didn’t get out of there any too soon, seems like!” said Tip Lange, not a vestige of color in his face, as he turned to stare at his new-found friends.
“I’m glad to be here instead of swimming out yonder,” commented Monkey dryly.
“And if we couldn’t manage to find an open window quick enough, think of what a time we’d be having in there!” added the Lawrence scout. “But let’s be thankful it didn’t happen that way.”
“We Wolf Patrol fellows,” said Billy Worth, “have noticed that when things get to looking dark for us there’s always a quick change for the better. We call it Wolf luck, and seems like we’ve even come to look for it.”
“Well, I only hope it’s as catching as the measles, and that you’ve given it to me,” Tip told him, “so that after this our troop will meet a favoring current. It’s easy to move along when everything seems to be going your way.”
The next thing was to get the woman and her children safely ashore. Hugh picked out a place where he thought it would be best to land them. In doing this he bore in mind the fact that she had relatives who were being assisted by Wash Bradford and his squad.
In the end it was managed so that they all came together on high ground, where they could find some sort of shelter in case the rain started coming down again, as seemed likely to happen at any minute.
Once more the launch was ready to start out on its mission of mercy, with the four scouts as eager as ever to do all they could to help the unfortunate victims of the great flood.
“If I had half a chance, and the stuff along,” ventured Billy, “do you know what I’d do, fellows? Why, make a flag of white, with a red cross in the center. If this isn’t the sort of relief work those people do then I miss my guess. But since I’ve only got a handkerchief, and nary a speck of red cloth along, I’ll have to let it pass. Hugh, there’s a gentleman beckoning to you over there. I wonder what he can want.”