both sides, seeing their danger, beat, by means of their
boat-hooks, a hasty retreat, and as they were in shallow water were
hauled ashore by the lumbermen, who sprang into the river to save them.

When the clouds of spray had cleared away, only three figures were
visible. Viggo, still astride of his raft, was fighting, not for his own
life, but for that of his enemy, Halvor, who was struggling helplessly
in the white rapids. Close behind his commander stood little Marcus on
his raft, holding on, with one hand to the boat-hook which he had hewn,
with all his might, into Viggo's raft, and with the other grasping the
branch of a half-submerged tree.

"Save yourself, General!" he yelled, wildly. "Let go there. I can't hold
on much longer."

But Viggo did not heed. He saw nothing but the pale, frightened face
of his antagonist, who might lose his life. With a desperate effort he
flung his boat-hook toward him and succeeded this time in laying hold
of the leather girdle about his waist. One hundred feet below yawned the
foaming, weltering abyss, from which the white smoke ascended. If Marcus
lost his grip, if the branch snapped no human power could save them;
they were all dead men.

By this time the people on the shore had discovered that three lives
were hanging on the brink of eternity. Twenty men had waded waist-deep
into the current and had flung a stout rope to the noble little fellow
who was risking his own life for his friend.

"Keep your hold, my brave lad!" they cried; "hold on another minute!"

"Grab the rope!" screamed others.

Marcus clinched his teeth, and his numb arms trembled, mist gathered
in his eyes--his heart stood still. But with a clutch that seemed
superhuman he held on. He had but one thought--Viggo, his chief! Viggo,
his idol! Viggo, his general! He must save him or die with him. One end
of the rope was hanging on the branch and was within easy reach; but he
did not venture to seize it, lest the wrench caused by his motion might
detach his hold on Viggo's raft.

Viggo, who just now was pulling Halvor out of the water, saw in an
instant that he had by adding his weight to the raft, increased the
chance of both being carried to their death. With quick resolution he
plunged the beak of his own boat-hook into Marcus's raft, and shouted to
Halvor to save himself. The latter, taking in the situation at a glance,
laid hold of the handle of the boat-hook and together they pulled up
alongside of Ma