"Keep going! All is well!"
He managed to shout these few words, feeling that Sandy might be in need of encouragement.
Just where they might be no one could even give a guess now. It was a fight in the dark, apparently; but it could not last much longer.
Already had Bob noticed with joy that the "pull" of the current was slackening considerably. There could be but one reason for that—the shore was close by, and here the swollen river moved with far less impetuosity than out in the middle.
At times it had been difficult to wholly avoid a collision with some of the floating trees; but these never varied in their steady downward progress, and the canoe was capable of veering out of the way, so that thus far they had succeeded in keeping trouble at bay.
"Only a little more, Sandy!" called Bob.
Silas Hemphill again had his paddle working, and all together they sent the boat flying to the shore. But not one of them was able to raise a cheer when finally they ran aground.
They lay there in the canoe for a short time, limp and exhausted, satisfied to know that they were at last safely landed.