summon other help by shouting. He had barely got his feet
upon the rock, when the twigs by which the boy was holding gave way. He
seized the boat, but it dragged him from his uncertain footing, and with
a desperate effort he clambered over its side and found himself its
second doomed passenger.

There was but an instant for thought.

"Sit still," he said, "and, just as we go over, put your arms round me
under mine, and don't let go for your life!"

He caught up the single oar, and with a few sharp paddle-strokes brought
the skiff into the blackest centre of the current, where it was deepest,
and would plunge them into the deepest pool.

"Hold your breath! God save us! Now!"

They rose, as if with one will, and stood for an instant, the arms of the
younger closely embracing the other as he had directed.

A sliding away from beneath them of the floor on which they stood, as the
drop fails under the feet of a felon. A great rush of air, and a mighty,
awful, stunning roar,--an involuntary gasp, a choking flood of water that
came bellowing after them, and hammered them down into the black depths
so far that the young man, though used to diving and swimming long
distances underwater, had well-nigh yielded to the fearful need of air,
and sucked in his death in so doing.

The boat came up to the surface, broken in twain, splintered, a load of
firewood for those who raked the river lower down. It had turned
crosswise, and struck the rocks. A cap rose to the surface, such a one
as boys wear,--the same that boy had on. And then--after how many
seconds by the watch cannot be known, but after a time long enough, as
the young man remembered it, to live his whole life over in
memory--Clement Lindsay felt the blessed air against his face, and,
taking a great breath, came to his full consciousness. The arms of the
boy were still locked around him as in the embrace of death. A few
strokes brought him to the shore, dragging his senseless burden with him.

He unclasped the arms that held him so closely encircled, and laid the
slender form of the youth he had almost died to save gently upon the
grass. It was as if dead. He loosed the ribbon that was round the neck,
he tore open the checked shirt--

The story of Myrtle Hazard's sex was told; but she was deaf to his cry of
surprise, and no blush came to her cold cheek. Not too late, perhaps, to
save her,--not too late to try to save her, at least!

He placed his lips to