It was lucky for the lads that they had chosen a spot where the stream was rather broad and shallow, widening out on the side opposite to the rocky bluff. Nevertheless, at one point they found themselves in water up to their waists, and here they had to struggle with might and main to keep from being swept down to where the man and the boy were held prisoners. "Say, this is awful!" gasped Fred, when he at last found himself on a safer footing. "This river is running like a mill-race," was Randy's comment. When they had reached a spot where the water was less than a foot deep they stopped once more to regain their breath, and then, led by Jack, moved cautiously down the river to the point where was located the drifting tree the man had mentioned. "Just see if you can't pull it toward the shore," directed the man. "But be careful that you don't get hit when it swings around." It was now that the young cadets' lessons in bridge building while in camp came into good play. Jack gave orders as to just how the swinging around of the tree might be managed. Then all took hold and pulled with might and main. "I don't see that it has budged any," gasped Fred, after half a minute of the hardest kind of effort. "Try it again, boys!" shouted Jack encouragingly. "Now then--all together! One--two--three!" Again the four sturdy boys exerted all their strength on the tree, and this time they felt the lower end, which had been wedged in between some logs and rocks, give way. Then, as they hauled the tree still farther from the center of the river, it suddenly swung around and, caught by the current, went dashing along on its course. "Hurrah! There she goes!" shouted Randy, as the tree disappeared in a veil of foam and spray. "How about it?" shouted Jack to the man and boy. "Can you get loose now?" Both of the prisoners were exerting their utmost to release themselves and did not answer. But their efforts were in vain, and soon they ceased to struggle. "It's no use! One of the logs is holding our feet right against the rocks!" gasped out the man. "We don't seem to be able to budge it." "I'm afraid it is going to break my leg!" screamed the boy. "I can't stand the pressure much longer." "I'm going out there and see what I can do," said Jack. "If you go, so will I," returned Randy promptly. "You can count me in, too," announced Andy and Fred simultaneously. "Look out that you don't get drowned," went on Jack quickly. "We'll be as safe as you'll be," returned Fred. All went up the river a short distance so that they might not be carried past the spot where the man and the boy were located. Then they struck out bravely for the place where the logs were jammed in a heap. Some of the sticks seemed to have been cut for railroad ties, while others looked like fence rails, and there were not less than two dozen of them in a jumble among the jagged rocks.