while Mackintosh and Alf had torn down a
number of maple and other leafy branches that would lie fairly flat.
These were gathered to the edge of the muskeg.

"You're no' feared to take a bit o' risk for your friend's sake?" the
man then asked, turning a look of confidence to the boy.

"Afraid?" echoed Alf contemptuously. "Tell me what to do, and--well, I'd
give my life for Bob!"

"That's as it should be," returned Mackintosh approvingly. "'Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friend.' I would offer to do this myself, only I'm a great heavy gowk,
and Haggis is no' much better. But you're light as a feather compared
with us. Now we'll put two o' these poles like the sides o' a ladder;
then some o' the branches cross-ways. And you'll go out and build
farther as we hand them to you. Can you do this?"

"Of course," replied Alf firmly.

"And don't hurry. Work sure and steady. The turf will stand the weight
with only you on it. And when you reach Bob, you'll spread the branches
all round. The rest I leave to you."

To Alf it seemed hours before even the first section of the ladder was
completed, but he did his best to control his impatience, knowing well
the value of Mackintosh's advice; and at last came the moment of joy
when he was ready for the second poles to project from the ends of the
first ones, and a fresh supply of branches. But it was a tedious
undertaking at the best, made doubly so by anxiety to reach the end; for
each time the supply of building material was exhausted he had to creep
back for more, as the men dared not trust their weight far from the edge
of the muskeg.

All this time Bob was watching the work as a starving man feasts his
eyes upon the nearness of food and drink.

Now and then Alf spoke encouraging words, but he did not relax his
energies, nor did the sufferer make answer except once, when he stirred
himself to say pluckily--

"It's--all--right, Alf. I can--hold out--for--some time----"

Yet when the younger lad once glanced ahead of him, the cold sweat broke
out over his body, for he saw that his chum had sunk yet farther, and
that the weight was dragging down the dog as well.

"I'm coming, Bob! I'll be very soon now!" the lad forced himself to call
cheerily.

And, oh! the joy of that moment when at last the bridge was completed,
and Alf could bend down to grip his exhausted chum beneath the arms!

"Be careful!" called Mackintosh. "Don't jerk.