d sufficiently recovered
to discover the humorous points in the episode. But they were all
familiar enough with the treacherous possibilities of rough and rapid
water to know that for Hobbs and his deliverer at least, there had been
some serious moments during their fierce struggle in the river.

"Another minute would have done," said Fielding to his friend, as they
sat over the fire after supper.

"A half a minute would have been just as good," said Knight. "I got
Barry by the hair under water. He was at his last kick, you bet! And
that rat," he added, smiling good naturedly at Harry, "was dragging him
down for the last time."

"I didn't know nothin' about it," said poor Harry, who was lying
stretched out by the fire, still very weak and miserable. "I didn't
know nothin' about it, or you bet I woudn't ha' done it. I didn't know
nothin' after he got me."

"After you got him, you mean," said Fielding.

"I guess that's right," said Harry, "but I wouldn't ha' got him if he
hadn't ha' got me first."

They all joined in the discussion of the event except Paula, who sat
distrait and silent, gazing into the fire, and Barry, who lay, drowsy
and relaxed, on a blanket not far from her side.

"You ought to go to bed," said Paula at length in a low voice to him.
"You need a good night's sleep."

"I'm too tired to sleep," said Barry. "I feel rather rotten, in fact. I
ought to feel very grateful, but somehow I just feel rotten."

"Can one be grateful and feel rotten at the same time?" said Paula,
making talk.

"Behold me," replied Barry. "I know I am grateful, but I do feel rotten.
I don't think I have even thanked you for risking your life for me," he
added, turning toward her.

"Risking my life? Nonsense! I paddled 'round in the canoe for a bit,
till two strong men came to tow me in, and would have, if I had allowed
them. Thank the boys, who got you in time." She shuddered as she spoke.

"I do thank them, and I do feel grateful to them," said Barry. "It was
rather a near thing. You see, I let him grip me. I choked him off my
arms, but he slid down to my thigh, and I could not kick him off. Had to
practically drown him. Even then he hung on."

"Oh, don't speak about it," she said with a shudder, covering her face
with her hands. "It was too awful, and it might have been the end of
you." Her voice broke a little.

"No, not an end," answered Barry, in a quiet voice. "Not the end by a
long way, not by a very long way.