Part 48 (1/2)
With these four beaes, end to end At each corner of the square we lashed the ends together firmly with strips of hide It was both firm and flexible after we had lashed the corners over and over with the strips, that there ht be no play under the strain of the current
Over this frae piece of hide so that the ends met on top, near the ht We folded the corners in and caught theer strips, we fastened up the sides, passing the strips back and forth across the top, fro first similarly secured the two ends As a final precaution, we passed broader strips around both top and bottoether in the center of the top And there was our raft, twelve feet square, over a foot deep, water-tight as a town drunkard, and weighing not more than a hundred pounds It has taken me two minutes to tell it; it took us teeks to do it
But we discovered immediately that the four beaht alone caused the skin to sag clear through in the center, though we had stretched it as tightly as possible We were forced to unlash all the strips running from side to side and insert supports, made of smaller bones, across the middle each way These we reinforced on their ends with the thickest hide we could find, that they ht not puncture the bottoh its sea-worthiness was not iate than it would have been before
For oars we took the lower ends of the backbones of the two smaller fish and covered the and quite heavy; but we intended to use the than for propulsion The current of the stream would attend to that for us
Near the center of the raft we arranged a pile of the skins of the water-pigs for Desiree; a seat by no means uncomfortable The strips which ran back and forth across the top afforded a hold as security against the tossing of the craft; but for her feet we arranged two other strips to pass over her ankles what time she rested This was an extre one
Finally we loaded on our provisions--about thirty pounds of theit securely in two or three of the skins and strapping the the strips on the corners for the last time, ”all we need is a name for her and a bottle of wine”
”And a homeward-bound pennant,” put in Harry
”The nah,” said Desiree ”I hereby christen her Clarte du Soleil”
”Which means?” asked Harry, whose French came only in spots
”Sunshi+ne,” I told hi of the Incas, who calls hiood narant that it takes us there!”
”I think we ought to take rub,” said Harry--an observation which he hadfifty ru so much behind
Why it was I don't know, but ere fully persuaded that ere about to say good-by forever to this underground world and its dangers
Somehoe had coaxed ourselves into the belief that success was certain; it was as though we had seen the sunlight strea in from the farther end of the arched tunnel into which the stream disappeared
There was an assurance about the words of each that strengthened this feeling in the others, and hope had shut out all thought of failure as we prepared to launch our craft
It took us soh it was close by, for we handled it with extreether, with the provisions, it weighed close to one hundred and fifty pounds
We were by nowould carry us, and when once we had reached the water we forgot caution in our haste to try it We held it at the edge while Desiree arranged herself on the pile of skins The spears lay across at her feet, strapped down for security
Harry stepped across to the farther edge of the raft
”Ready!” he called, and I shoved off, wading behind When the water was up to my knees I climbed aboard and picked up my oar
”By all the nine Gods, look at her!” cried Harry in huge delight ”She takes about three inches! Man, she'd carry an arhter ”C'est Perfection!”
”Couldn't be better,” I agreed; ”but watch yourself, Hal When we get into the current things are going to begin to happen If it weren't for the beastly darkness 'twould be easy enough As it is, one little rock the size of your head could send us to the botto our way out slowly Harry and I had to maintain positions equidistant from the center in order to keep the raft balanced; hence I had to push her out alone
Considering her bulk, she answered to the oar very well