“It rained,” said Charlie, simply. “Mamma and papa took more things over to grandma’s, and I went to sleep. When I woke up it was all dark, and my bed was crooked. I guess I fell out of my bed,” he added.
“That was when the house went upside-down, I guess he means,” suggested Mr. Ringold. “I can imagine what happened,” he went on, in a low tone, as the boy went to the after rail to watch the debris floating by. “His folks began carrying out their valuables, and left him in the house. They made one trip too many, and the house was carried away, and upset. Charlie was in it, and he stayed in it until we rescued him. Now we’ve just got to trust to luck to find his folks.”
They were fairly out on the flooded Mississippi again, and from the manner in which they were tossed about, and swirled this way and that, it could easily be guessed that the river had been augmented during the night, and that more rain had fallen along the upper water-shed.
They stopped, about noon, at a small village, partly under water, and, while Joe and Blake made some pictures, Mr. Ringold and C. C. inquired for any word of the missing players, and for news of Charlie’s folks. To send off any telegrams proved out of the question.
So many families had been separated, and so many mothers were looking for lost children, as well as children inquiring for missing parents, that no progress was made.
However, Charlie House seemed contented enough now, with his new friends. He was much better off than in the upside-down house, for he was comfortable and had enough to eat. He had been rescued only just in time, too, for he probably would have been killed, or at least severely injured, when the dwelling righted itself again.
The work of saving their belongings was being undertaken by many of the people of the village where our friends stopped, and scenes of this were filmed by the moving picture boys. Work was also in progress on a hastily-constructed levee, in an endeavor to prevent the whole of the town from being washed away.
Once more the rescue party was off. There was more danger now, as there was still more debris coming down the big, muddy water, and several times the boat was nearly struck by a floating house, or barn.
“We’ve got to keep a sharp lookout!” decided Mr. Ringold. “It won’t do to be swamped—there’d be no getting ashore in this flood. Keep your eyes open, boys!”
With one in the stern and another at the bow, taking turns, the rescuers did all they could to prevent the boat from being damaged, by fending off logs and heavy driftwood.