Sometimes it flows one way, and sometimes the other." They had no time to answer him, for the raft was swept past the house and a long distance on the other side of it.
"We're going just the way we don't want to go," said Dorothy, "and I guess the best thing we can do is to get to land before we're carried any farther." But they could not get to land.

They had no oars, nor even a pole to guide the raft with.

The logs which bore them floated in the middle of the stream and were held fast in that position by the strong current.
So they sat still and waited and, even while they were wondering what could be done, the raft slowed down, stopped, and began drifting the other way--in the direction it had first followed.

After a time they repassed the Quadling house and the man was still standing on the bank.
He cried out to them: "Good day! Glad to see you again.

I expect I shall see you a good many times, as you go by, unless you happen to swim ashore." By that time they had left him behind and were headed once more straight toward the Winkie Country.
"This is pretty hard luck," said Ojo in a discouraged voice.