CHAPTER IV.
BILLY BRACKETT STARTS DOWN THE RIVER.
It needed but a glance at Major Caspar's face, as, dripping and weary, he entered the house, to show that his search for the raft had been fruitless.

His wife's mother-instinct translated his expression at once, and the quick tears started to her eyes as she exclaimed, "My boy! What has happened to him ?" "Nothing serious, you may rest assured, my dear," replied the Major.
"I have not seen him; but I have heard of the raft, and there is no question as to its safety.

We reached the mouth of the creek without discovering a trace of it.

Then we went down the river as far as the Elbow, where we waited in the slack-water to hail up-bound steamboats.
The first had seen nothing of the raft; but the second, one of the 'Diamond Jo' boats, reported that they had seen such a raft--one with three shanties on it--at daybreak, in the 'Slant Crossing,' ten miles below.

If I could have got a down-river boat I should have boarded her and gone in pursuit, sending the men back to tell you what I had done.
As we were unable to hail the only one that passed, I gave it up and came back to report progress." "Oh, I am so glad you did!" cried Mrs.Caspar.
"So am I," said the young stranger, speaking for the first time since the Major's entrance.