nine o'clock
The water receded a foot and a half during the night , but when Monday morning dawned with a clear sky the flood was still a sight to behold as it rolled swiftly by the camp , its smooth yellow surface dotted with tangled grasses and driftwood . As far as the boys could see was high and hilly land , but there was no doubt that the lowlands were inundated far on each side of the creek . The rains had been unusually heavy . By nine o'clock the Jolly Rovers were afloat -- adrift would be a better word , since the swift current made the paddles unnecessary , except for a guiding touch now and then . It did not occur to the boys to delay their departure on account of the flood . They were tired of the camping place , and moreover the high water would likely be a help rather than a hindrance . They found it keenly exhilarating to lean lazily back in their canoes and be carried at a whirling pace around bend after bend .