The Gasconade River was running high and brown after two days of rain. Near Vienna, Missouri, Darrell and Tina had pulled off at a gravel bar so their old bluetick hound could get a drink. The edge of the bar gave way under Pancho.

and the current knocked him down twice. Up the bank, a crew of nine roofers was tearing shingles off a cabin. They’d heard Tina yelling, and down the hill they came carrying the longest ladder on the truck.

The crew ran all 28 feet of it out from the bank until the far end caught on the sycamore. Four of the men sat on the near end to hold it steady. Colt, who’d only been on the crew since June, went out over the brown water on his hands and