. Down the steep bank we scrambled,
steadying ourselves by grasping the lithe and dwarfed trees which grew
in its rocky crevices. For one brief moment we scanned the seething
torrent, and then, right in its midst, we saw the face and floating hair
of the woman as she was tossed to and fro in the rapid, while she vainly
tried to cling to the huge boulders rising high in the stream through
which her fragile form was hurried.

"Jump into the boat and wait for me to be carried down to you!" cried
Denviers, and before I fully realized what he was about to do, he flung
his rifle down and plunged headlong into the foaming waters. I saw him
battling against the fierce current with all his might, for the rocks in
mid-stream prevented the woman from being floated down to us and
threatened to beat out her life, as she was borne violently against
them. I ran madly towards where our boat had been drawn up, and pushing
it into the river strained my eyes eagerly in the wild hope of seeing
Denviers alive when his body should be floated down towards me.

[Illustration: "OVER THE ROCKY BRIDGE."]

I pulled hard against the stream and managed to keep the rude craft from
being carried away with the current. A few minutes afterwards I saw that
my companion had succeeded in dragging the woman from the grinding
channels between the rocks, and was being swept on to where I anxiously
awaited him with his burden. The water dashed violently against the boat
as I put it across the middle of the rushing stream, then dropped the
oars as he was flung towards me. I stretched out my arms over the side
in order to relieve him of his burden, and, although he was exhausted,
Denviers made one last effort and thrust the woman towards me. I dragged
her into the boat just as her rescuer sank back. With a quick but steady
grip I caught my companion and hauled him in too, and before long had
the happiness to see both become conscious once more.

Leaving the boat to float down the stream, I merely steered it clear of
the rocky sides of the river channel, then, seeing some distance ahead a
favourable place to land, drew in to the shore with a few swift strokes
from the oars. Denviers remained with the woman he had rescued, while I
climbed the steep bank again and found that the mountaineers had,
fortunately, not returned, although we had fully expected the report of
Denviers' rifle to cause them to do so. I thereupon signalled to my
companion below that all was