going on below. Halvor and Viggo were fighting desperately
with their boat-hooks, the one attacking and the other defending himself
with great dexterity. They scarcely perceived, in their excitement, that
the current was dragging them slowly toward the cataract; nor did they
note the warning cries of the men and women on the banks.

Viggo's blood was hot, his temples throbbed, his eyes flashed. He would
show this miserable clown who had dared to insult him, that the trained
skill of a gentleman is worth more than the rude strength of a bully.
With beautiful precision he foiled every attack; struck Halvor's
boat-hook up and down, so that the water splashed about him, manoeuvring
at the same time his own raft with admirable adroitness.

Cheer upon cheer rent the air, after each of his successful sallies,
and his comrades, selecting their antagonists from among the enemy, now
pressed forward, all eager to bear their part in the fray.

Splash! splash! splash! one East-Sider was dismounted, got an
involuntary bath, but scrambled up on his raft again. The next time it
was a West-Sider who got a ducking, but seemed none the worse for it.
There was a yelling and a cheering, now from one side and now from the
other, which made everyone forget that something was going on at that
moment of greater importance than the mimic warfare of boys.

All the interest of the contending parties was concentrated on the duel
of their chieftains. It seemed now really that Halvor was getting the
worst of it. He could not get close enough to use his brawny muscles;
and in precision of aim and adroitness of movement he was not Viggo's
match.

Again and again he thrust his long-handled boat-hook angrily against the
bottom (for the flooded parts of the banks were very shallow), to push
the raft forward, but every time Viggo managed to turn it sideward, and
Halvor had to exert all his presence of mind to keep his seat. Wild with
rage he sprang up on his slender raft and made a vicious lunge at his
opponent, who warded the blow with such force that the handle of the
boat-hook broke, and Halvor lost his balance and fell into the water.

At this same instant a tremendous crash was heard from below, followed
by a long rumble as of mighty artillery. A scream of horror went up
from the banks, as the great lumber mass rolled down into the cataract,
making a sudden suction which it seemed impossible that the unhappy boys
could resist.

The majority of