Alan made his way back
up the river and began to prod out the stranded tin casks. All were
soon bobbing along in the slow current, with Alan behind them like a
lumber driver of the northwest dislodging logs left in the shallows.
Ned below soon had all of them in shallow water.
By means of a coil of the drag rope, looped in turn about the tins
of recovered fuel, Ned lifting below and Alan pulling above soon
transferred the gasoline to the bobbing Cibola. As each cask
ascended, a portion of the extra ballast was dumped overboard.
Then, dressing themselves and improvising what tools they could, the
boys made their way sorrowfully to the scene of the previous night's
tragedy. Buck's body was carefully removed and decently buried. A
mound of boulders was made over the grave to designate the spot, and
with the hope that some day they might return and suitably mark the
desert tomb the boys took a mournful farewell.
CHAPTER XXV
BARTERING STORES A MILE IN THE AIR
"And now," said Alan, "it's ho, for Camp Eagle and our search at
last."
"I don't know about all that sentiment," answered Ned, thoughtfully.
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