Page:Moving Picture Boys and the Flood.djvu/84

74 "You'd need an ocean tug to pull them out of this current," remarked Joe, as he continued to take moving pictures. "But there must be something up, or those men wouldn't be so excited."

"Maybe they want us to try and tow the houses," suggested Blake.

"Well, we're not going to do it," decided the manager. "It's too risky, though I'd try it if it was to save life."

He had hardly spoken, when the group of houses swirled about in the current. At an upper window of one of them appeared a woman, holding in her arms a baby. She stretched the child out toward those approaching her in small boats, as if appealing for help.

"Say, we've got to save her!" cried Blake.

"That's right!" agreed the manager.

He headed the motor boat more directly for the floating dwellings, but he had to use caution, as they were entangled in a mass of logs, jagged timbers, and other debris, that made it difficult to approach.

And then, by some strange freak of fate, the houses swirled about again, and the woman and child could no longer be seen. But the dwellings remained upright, so it was fairly certain that