t some way when we guessed, by a white wing every now and then
raised above the green herbage, that Bouncer was having a desperate
struggle with the wounded swan, and this made us the more eager to
advance, that we might hasten to his assistance. Finding at last that
the canoe stuck fast, I stepped overboard, followed by Martin. Scarcely
had we done so when we sank almost up to our middles in soft
mud-and-water, mixed with dead branches.

Being in for it, we determined to proceed, though we advised Alick and
Robin to keep quiet, which, seeing the plight we were in, they had every
inclination to do. We floundered on for some yards, when our feet
reached firm ground. As we got up the bank, we saw that Bouncer had
seized the swan by the neck, and that every moment its struggles were
becoming less violent than before. Ere we got close up to the
combatants the bird was dead; but Bouncer was bleeding at the nose, and
moved with a limp.

As we took the swan from him, he looked up in our faces as much as to
say, "I have done it, masters; but it has cost me pretty dearly."

We were not aware at that time what a price we had paid for that swan.
Finding that it was quite dead, we dragged it along towards the canoe;
into which we hauled it. Bouncer followed, though not without
difficulty, and we had to help him on board.

"We must get to some better place than this for landing," said Alick.
"I don't know whether you are hungry, boys, but I know that I am, and
the sooner we have one of these birds roasting before a good fire the
better pleased I shall be. Shove off." We endeavoured to obey the
order.

"Very well to say shove off, but it's more than we can do," said Martin,
turning round.

"Then you must get into the water and lift her off. You are already wet
through, so it will not signify."

"Here goes then," I said; and Martin and I stepped into the water, on to
what we found to be the sunken trunk of a tree, off which we quickly
lifted the canoe, though we found an unexpected resistance. Scarcely
had we done so than we saw the water running like a mill stream into the
canoe.

"We must get out of her, or she'll fill to the gunwale in a few
minutes," exclaimed Alick.

"We can't land here or haul her up if we do," I observed, as I still
stood on the sunken trunk. "If we secure the sail under the bottom, we
may keep the water from running in so fast till we can get to the
opposite bank, where there must be a f