t ashore, or dragging it with fearful violence into the raging
current. Although there was only the canoe's length between the old
trapper and the youth when they were left struggling in the water, they
were swept in totally different directions. Redhand was hurled
violently into the eddy where the canoe had lain before the ascent was
commenced, and was dragged safe to land by his comrades. March Marston,
on the other hand, was swept out near to the main current, and would, in
a few seconds more, have been carried over the fall, had he not, with
wonderful presence of mind and an almost superhuman exertion of muscle,
dashed into an eddy which was formed by a rock about fifty yards from
the top of the fall. The rock was completely covered with the bursting
spray, so that it formed no resting-place, and it, with the partial eddy
that tailed away from it, was about twenty yards from the shore, where
the trappers stood gazing in horror at their companion as he struggled
bravely to maintain his position by swimming; but to cross those twenty
yards of gushing water, so as to afford him aid, seemed beyond the power
of man.

Men bred in the wilderness are not usually slow to act in cases of
danger where action is possible. Each man was revolving in fervid haste
every plan that seemed likely to afford succour. Redhand's quick eye
observed that the rocks at the edge of the fall, on the side of the
river on which they stood, projected out so far that a straight line
drawn from the eddy to the fall would pass within a yard of them, and
that, consequently, if March would push straight across the stream and
make vigorously for the bank, he might hit the point of rocks referred
to before being carried over.

"Down, some of you," he cried, "to the point, an' be ready to catch him;
I'll shout to him what to do."

Big Waller and Gibault darted away. Poor Bertram, having recovered,
remained gazing in speechless agony at March, who, having made several
fruitless efforts to seize hold of the sunken rock, was evidently
growing weaker. Bounce also remained to gaze, as if he had lost all his
wonted self-command.

"Ho! March!" shouted Redhand. "Dash into the stream--straight for me--
with all yer might; don't be afraid, lad! do it boldly!" But March
heard not. The rush of water about him deadened all other sounds.

In an instant Bounce started at full speed up the river, plunged into
it, and, descending with fearful rapidity, sw