The Boys Did Not Notice This, And, In Their Eagerness To Run The Boat Ashore, It Happened That They Were Running It Across The Current, Just Above This Snag.

But as the current was sweeping them down the stream at the same time that they were pushing themselves across it, it carried the boat with great force against this snag.

The bottom of the boat was confined by it, while the force of the current, still pressing upon the side, overset it in a moment, and threw all the boys out into the water.

The boys scrambled out without much difficulty, and stood upon the gravelly beach. They saw at the same moment a man on the bank of the river above, who looked as if he was about to run to their aid; but when he saw that they were safe, he turned around immediately and disappeared. An instant afterward, Marco, finding that his cap was not upon his head, looked around for it, and, to his dismay, he saw it floating swiftly away down the rapids. He ran into the water and seized the boat, which was then beginning also to go away. He called upon the boys to help him pull it up and pour the water out. He then lanched it again with all speed, seized one of the poles, clambered into it, and pushed off into the swiftest part of the current, and away he went after his cap.

[Illustration: CAP GONE.]

He resorted to this desperate measure, because he was greatly alarmed at the idea of going home without his cap.

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