ed his face around so as to look in front, and thus to keep aware
of his progress.

"I'm doing well, and will make it," was his thought; "I hope Fred will
be as fortynate as mesilf."

An important point was gained by swimming on his left side; his face was
turned up stream, and he caught sight of the floating timber quicker
than when advancing with his face toward the land. Thus it came about
that he saw a plunging tree, or log, similar to that which had
destroyed the canoe, and when it was fully as close to him.

Like a flash, Terry dove, intending to pass clean under it. He could not
know any thing about the portion beneath the surface, and was a little
startled when he found himself among leaves and a lot of small branches;
but he swam with the same vigor and skill when below as when above the
surface, and quickly fought his way through, rising on the other side a
considerable distance nearer land.

But he gasped with terror, for during the brief period he lost a great
deal more than he gained. A furtive glance to the left showed him the
mist and spray flying high in air, as the muddy waters were tossed to
and fro by the rocks below: he was fearfully close to them.

But he was also close to land, and he saw his chance; indeed, his only
one. A tree growing out toward the creek curved downward so that the
lower part of the trunk was within a few inches of the water. A short
time before the current had washed against it, but was now falling away
from it.

The portion which inclined downward like a bow was several feet from
shore, and some distance below him. It will be seen, therefore, that the
thing for him to do was to bend all his efforts toward reaching that. If
he could advance far enough to allow the current to sweep him beneath,
or quite close to the tree, he could grasp it and save himself.

"That's what's got to be done," was his conclusion the instant he saw
the crooked tree; "or it's good-by to Terry Clark and his rifle."

He would succeed; he saw it the next moment. The curving tree seemed to
be sweeping up stream with frightful swiftness, but at the right second
Terry, by a supreme effort, threw himself partly out of the water, and
flinging both arms around the trunk, which was no more than six inches
in diameter, he held fast.

The strain was great, and he felt his fingers slipping over the shaggy
bark, but he held on like grim death, and by a skillful upward hitch of
his body, locked his fingers