ugh. _Non, M'sieu_; dere was not one man out on any of de
oder platform dat mawny for to help Alphonsine. Dey was all sleep ver'
late, for dey was all out ver' late for see de offle fight I told you
'bout.

"Well, pretty quick, what you tink? I'll see Old Man Savarin goin' to
my fader's platform. He's take hold for help Alphonsine an' dey's bose
pull, and pretty quick de big sturgeon is up on de platform. I'll be
more angry as before.

"Oh, _tort Dieu!_ What you tink come den? Why, dat Old Man Savarin is
want for take de sturgeon!

"First dey hain't speak so I can hear, for de Rapid is too loud. But
pretty quick dey's bose angry, and I hear dem talk.

"'Dat's my fish,' Old Man Savarin is say. 'Didn't I save him? Wasn't
you goin' for lose him, for sure?'

"Me--I'll laugh good. Dass _such_ an old rascal.

"'You get off dis platform, quick!' Alphonsine she's say.

"'Give me my sturgeon,' he's say.

"'Dat's a lie--it hain't your sturgeon. It's _my_ sturgeon,' she's
yell.

"'I'll learn you one lesson 'bout dat,' he's say.

"Well, M'sieu, Alphonsine she's pull back de fish just when Old Man
Savarin is make one grab. An' when she's pull back, she's step to one
side, an' de old rascal he is, grab at de fish, an' de heft of de
sturgeon is make him fall on his face, so he's tumble in de Rapid when
Alphonsine let go de sturgeon. So dere's Old Man Savarin floating in
de river--and _me_! I'll don' care eef he's drown one bit!

"One time he is on his back, one time he is on his face, one time he
is all under de water. For sure he's goin' for be draw into de
_culbute_ an' get drown' dead, if I'll not be able for scoop him when
he's go by my platform. I'll want for laugh, but I'll be too much
scare.

"Well, M'sieu, I'll pick up my fader's scoop and I'll stand out on de
edge of de platform. De water is run so fast, I'm mos' 'fraid de old
man is boun' for pull me in when I'll scoop him. But I'll not mind for
dat, I'll throw de scoop an' catch him; an' for sure, he's hold on
good.

"So dere's de old rascal in de scoop, but when I'll get him safe, I
hain't able for pull him in one bit. I'll only be able for hold on an'
laugh, laugh--he's look _ver_' queer! All I can do is to hold him dere
so he can't go down de _culbute_. I'll can't pull him up if I'll want
to.

"De old man is scare ver' bad. But pretty quick he's got hold of de
cross-bar of de hoop, an' he's got his ugly old head up good.

"'Pull me in,' he say, ver'