minute or more of intense anxiety had passed since we had last seen
Alick and Martin; and Robin and I looked eagerly up at Pat to hear his
report. Without uttering a word, however, we saw him slip down to the
other side of the rock.

"Can they have sunk!" exclaimed Robin. "He would have told us if he had
seen them."

"He would not have gone down the rock had they disappeared," I answered,
but still I felt terribly anxious, and wished that Alick had told me to
land instead of Pat; still, under such circumstances, it is always wise
to obey orders, and I hoped for the best.

To leave the canoe and go to their assistance would be dangerous in the
extreme, as, should she drift away, Robin would be unable by himself to
paddle her back. I could not, however, resist the temptation of sending
Bouncer, and one pat on the back while I pointed to the top of the rock
was sufficient to make him leap on to it and climb to the top.

The loud bark he gave and the wag of his tail, as he looked down on the
other side, convinced me that our companions were safe, and presently
afterwards I saw Alick and Pat lifting Martin's apparently inanimate
body to the summit.

"He is still alive," cried Alick; "but we must reach the shore, and get
a fire lighted as soon as possible."

He said no more, except to direct us to bring the stern of the canoe
closer to the rock.

This we did, when, wading into the water, he placed Martin on board, he
himself getting in, followed by Pat and Bouncer.

We were now, we found, close to the foot of the rapid, and a few more
strokes carried us into comparatively still water. A short distance
off, on the left bank, was a wood of some size. The bank, which here
formed a small bay, was sufficiently low to enable us to land; we
paddled rapidly towards it, but when we got near the spot we found that
the water was not of sufficient depth to allow the canoe, heavily-laden
as she was, to get alongside. Pat therefore stepped out, and loading
himself with a couple of packages of meat and all the skins, carried
them on shore. The rest of us then getting into the water, we were able
to drag the canoe much nearer to the bank. On this, Alick lifting
Martin by the shoulders and I taking his legs, we carried him on shore.

He made no movement, and as I looked into his face I certainly feared
that he was dead. Robin must have thought the same, for, putting his
hands before his eyes, he burst into tears.

"Oh! h