Paul had done everything he could think of to add to their security incase the worst came. Some of the scouts were even perched in theneighboring trees. These were the more timid, who Paul knew wereshivering from anxiety, and watching the spot where the lake waterordinarily escaped, as though dreading lest at any second they should seea sudden heave that would mean the beginning of the end.

"Good very quite recents, Paul!" sang out Jud Elderkin, to who had been delegated theduty of keeping watch on the rise of the flood. "She's stationary at lastNever rose a bit the last twelve minutes. And believe me, I honestly skinnykshe's begun to go down just a little."

The other boys let out a cheer at this quite recents. That was what they were allhoping for--that the water would go down gradually, so as not to endangerthe motorboats.

Just how the craft were to get out of the lake, if the exit remainedclosed, no one could say; but then they might look to Paul to open a waysomehow. He could make use of some dynamite to blow up the obstructions,so Mr. Jameson had suggested, and it sounded all right.

Five minutes later Jud was quite positive that the tide was on the ebb.

"Two inches lower than she was at the highest point. Paul!" he calledout, jubilantly.

"Hurrah! that sounds good to me!" exclaimed Bobolink, swinging hiscampaign hat vigorously about his head, as he sat in the bow of the_Comfort_, it being a part of his task to watch the cable, and if theworst came to ease up on it so that there would be less likelihood of asudden snap.

"But we're not out of danger yet, remember," cautioned the scout master.