k several steps in the direction of the
spot where his camera lay. Stopping hastily, as his affection for his
chum more than counterbalanced his love for an effective scene, he
turned around and hurried to join the others.

Jerry was ashore, and wringing the hand of Reddy, when Will arrived.

Regardless of the rescued boy's wet clothes, Will threw his arms around
him.

"Oh! you gave me such a fright, Jerry! I'm quivering all over! How lucky
Reddy happened to be here, and with his rope, too!" After saying which
he turned his attention to the smiling cowboy, and squeezed his hand
ardently.

"I sure beat my record that time, boys. I've roped some queer things,
but never a feller that was going whoopin' over a falls. Don't know why
I slung the old lariat over my arm when I started up here to see what
luck Jerry had. Mighty glad now I did, though. It'd been purty hard to
get him out with only a stick to stretch over."

Reddy was extremely modest, and only too willingly agreed not to say a
word about the mishap and rescue to any of the others; and Will was also
bound to secrecy by Jerry.

Back in the woods they made a fire, where Jerry succeeded in drying his
clothes.

"Anyhow, I saved that fish," he announced, with a satisfied shake of the
head.

Will looked at the cowboy inquiringly.

"Sure thing he did. When he came ashore he had that line fast in his
hand, and pulled the trout in before he'd even shake. He's a real sport,
all right," said Reddy, with admiration in his manner.

"It seems as though these things are born in one. Now, I'd have dropped
my rod the very first thing, and howled for help," remarked Will.

"How about your camera?" asked Jerry wickedly.

"H'm! That's a different thing. But when I saw you go in I did let that
fall. Luckily, no damage was done. My heart would be broken if the
blessed little black box got out of shape. But I've one picture of you
on that log," announced Will.

"And that will be enough to give me a clammy feeling every time I look
at it," nodded Jerry, who was in secret more shaken by his recent
terrible experience than he cared to show.

They went down a little later, Jerry carrying his two dearly-earned
trout. And when the others praised the fisherman that evening at supper
for supplying their camp table, they little dreamed how near their
hard-working chum had come to disaster in his efforts to land the
enticing finny beauties of the river.

Besides the trout, the