the same time he cast off his coat and was tugging at
his shoes, making ready to swim out.

But just at that time the head and face of John appeared above the
surface, his face distorted with fright and discomfort. He struck out
boldly for the raft just at the instant when Rob held out to him the
end of the push-pole.

"Catch hold of this, John," said he, quietly.

An instant later the puffing swimmer was at the raft.

"Look out now," said Rob; "don't swamp us. Just lie there till I get
you in."

"It's cold!" exclaimed John; and, indeed, his teeth were chattering
with the cold of the icy mountain water.

"All right, we'll be in in a minute," said Rob; and he began poling
the raft toward shore as rapidly as he could. They were not out fifty
yards, but it seemed an age before the raft reached shore--or, rather,
reached the outstretched hands of Uncle Dick, who stood shoulder-deep
in the water waiting for them.

"I was afraid of that raft," said he, "but it's lucky it was no worse.
Come here, John."

"It wasn't the fault of the raft, sir," chattered John. "I just got
foolish and slipped off. I'm all right. Where's my fish?"

Surely enough, they turned to the other end of the raft; where they
saw John's rod fast between two logs, where the reel held it firmly.
All the line was run out, but when Jesse reached out and brought in
the rod he felt a surge at the other end which told that the fish was
still on.

"Let me have him," said John. "I'm just going to get even with him if
I can, and take him out of the wet, too."

Much relieved at seeing him so plucky and at finding him now safe, the
others roared with laughter as he stood, wet and shivering, at the
edge of the beach, fighting his big trout for several minutes before
he could get him in. But at last victory rested with the skilful young
angler, and Uncle Dick with a piece of coffee-sacking scooped out the
big rainbow as he came inshore.

"Well, there," said he, "is fish enough for supper. Now, John, go and
strip and wring your clothes and dry out by the fire. I think maybe
that'll be fish enough for a while. We're lucky to get the fish, and
lucky to get you, too, for it's no joke to go overboard in water as
cold as that."

"You can just bet it isn't!" said John, his face now almost blue with
cold, although he was beginning to revive in the warm rays of the sun.
"Just for that, I am going to eat that fish--or as much of him as I
can."

XIII

A