Tad Butler and his companions were aiding in this work, shouting from the pure joy of their experience, and, in an hour's time, the last steer had swum the stream and clambered up the sloping bank on the other side. "There!" announced the foreman. "That's a bad job well done. I wish the trail wagon were here. A cup of hot coffee wouldn't go bad after an hour in the water." "After several of them, you mean," added Tad. "You know we have been out in the rain all night." "Yes, and you did a bang-up piece of work, you and Big-foot. How did you happen to lead the cattle straight ahead, instead of turning the leaders?" "It was the kid's suggestion," answered Big-foot Sanders. "He's got a man's head on his shoulders that more'n makes up for what the gopher hasn't got." "It does, indeed," agreed Stallings. "How are we going to get that trail wagon over when it comes up!" asked one of the men. "That's what's bothering me," answered the foreman. "Perhaps our young friend here can give us a suggestion. His head is pretty full of ideas," added the foreman, more with an intent to compliment Tad than in the expectation of getting valuable suggestions from him. "What is your usual method?" asked the boy. "Well, to tell the truth, I've never had quite such a proposition as this on my hands." "I guess you will have to float it over." "It won't float. It'll sink." "You can protect it from that." "How?" asked the foreman, now keenly interested. "First take all the stuff out of it. That will save your equipment if anything happens to the wagon. Ferry the equipment over on the backs of the ponies. If it's too heavy, take over what you can." "Well, what next?" asked Stallings. "Get some timbers and construct a float under the wagon." "Where you going to get timber around these parts?" demanded Big-foot. "I see plenty of trees near the river. Cut down a few and make a raft of them." "By George, the kid's hit it!" exclaimed Stallings, clapping his thigh vigorously. "That's exactly what we'll do. But we'll have to wait till the wagon gets here. The axes are all in the wagon." "Mebby I'm particularly thick to-day, but I'd like to inquire how you expect to get the outfit over, after you have the raft under it?" demanded Shorty Savage. "Answer that, if you can?" "I think that is up to the foreman," smiled Tad. "Were I doing it I think I should hitch ropes to the tongue and have the ponies on the other side draw the wagon across. Of course, you are liable to have an accident. The ropes may break or the current may tip your wagon over. That's your lookout." "Now will you be good?" grinned the foreman. "You know all about it, and it would be a good idea to let the thought simmer in your thick head for a while. It may come in handy, some day, when you want to get across a river." Shorty walked away, none too well pleased. About three o'clock in the afternoon the wagon hove in sight, and the boys rode out to meet it.