All of the boys were soon up and doing. While two of them saw to it that the blankets and other coverings were returned to the launch, the others looked after the preparations for their morning meal which, thanks to the generous judge, would not be as primitive as it might have been.
After they had eaten breakfast, the start was made up the current. Monkey had been smart enough to fix some sort of tally so as to know how high the river rose while they slept.
"Just seven inches, fellows," he had announced the first thing; and then, as the expedition was about to leave their moorings, Monkey declared with considerable delight: "Would you believe it, the water is actually _going down_! Sure it is, for here you can see where the stick is wet for an inch above the level!"
"Bully!" cried Tip. "Things will soon be on the mend, and poor old Lawrence will get back to looking like it was before the flood, all but our bridge, which is gone where the woodbine twineth."
"Never mind about that," said Billy, "so long as none of your folks went downstream with it."
They found it slow work breasting the current, but then, as a rift appeared in the leaden clouds overhead, everyone was soon feeling greatly encouraged.
"There's the judge waving to us!" said Tip, and of course everyone hastened to reply to the salutation from the high ground back of which the home of their good friend lay, safe from danger.
All through that day the scouts found plenty to do with the launch. And many a mother and father had reason to thank them warmly for attentions received that were doubly welcome in such a time of stress.
Hugh kept his word and saw to it that Tommy was safely returned to his family, thus relieving the fears of the father and mother, who had begun to believe the little fellow had been drowned.
As there still seemed to be no way of getting back home unless they went by aëroplane, Hugh and Billy and Monkey had to remain over for another day or so, nor did they feel sorry that this happened. Monkey had interested his uncle in his two chums so that nothing would do but they must be his guests while in town. Tip Lange felt somewhat disappointed for he had hoped to coax them to go home with him.
But on the second day word came that the repairs had progressed so far with the washed portions of the railroad embankment that a train would pass through Lawrence early that afternoon bound east.