e is clinging
to him; but those two frolicsome watery playfellows are tossing them
hither and thither as in rude sport. Ben takes it all in with his
quick boyish eyes, and rushes away, like a very hare for swiftness,
to where his father is chopping in the calm afternoon glory, little
dreaming of what is happening not a mile away. How sweetly pitiful is
the calm wondering sky, watching overhead, as one may fancy, the
struggle for dear life going on in those wild gurgling waters. Ah!
the two streams in one have them in their embrace; they will not let
them go. Mab lies a senseless weight in Jack's arms as they are borne
on towards the whirlpool; once there, their fate will be sealed.

Jack's senses are leaving him; if Mab was not clinging to him as with
the grasp of death, he would let her go; his strong young arms are
waxing weak; and oh! a black terrible monster is upon him. Is it a
wolf? The river clamours and laughs--ha-ha! Jack, Mab, and the
terrible monster are mingling together; then Jack's senses are quite
gone, and he remembers no more.

Meanwhile, Ben sweeps on like the wind, hearkening even in his haste
for the welcome "thwack, thwack" of his father's axe. It is a sweetly
tranquil scene he bursts upon at last--a knot of toiling men lopping
off the limbs of a huge tree but newly laid low--the lad heard the
crash of its fall as he ran. The warm afternoon glow was about them,
the little birds hopping and peering among the wide-spreading
branches of the trees around, half startled, half curious, as if to
see all. A terrible shock to John Lester was the tale the panting boy
had to tell, and then he too ran like the wind; his companions in
full cry behind.

Only the exultant river, all flecked with lights and with afternoon
colouring, met the eyes of the eager men when they reached the spot;
the struggle was over. Two lives had gone out or had been saved; the
father wrung his hands as he rushed madly here and there, and peered
over at the plashing waterfall, Ben at his side, and both seeing
nothing of the dear ones they sought.

"And it all came of Jack's putting on old Shag's skin and playing
wolf to frighten Mab; and she saw him, and jumped in before he had
time to speak," wailed Ben, as the river swept on and the waterfall
clamoured. John Lester groaned.

"Well, Master Lester; I have 'em safe enough--I and old Jowler. 'Twas
a miracle of savin', but 'tis done; they're both in bed and asleep
like two tops alr