the other, finding plenty of support,
and nothing more to do than fight his way out to where the stream ran
most swiftly.

The scrap of white cotton fluttered bravely now and then, as, forcing
himself not to think of the dangers that might be around, Nic watched
and watched. He soon began to see the boat more distinctly, and in good
time made out that his companion in misfortune grasped the position,
rowing himself to the nearest drooping tree, making fast to a bough, and
then laying in one oar and fixing the other up astern as a signal for
his companion's guidance.

How short the time seemed then, and how easily Nic glided down, till he
became aware of the fact that Pete was leaning over the side, knife in
hand, watching eagerly. This sent a shudder through the swimmer,
setting him thinking again of the perils that might be near, and how
unlikely any effort of Pete's would be to save him should one of the
reptiles attack.

The dread, however, soon passed off, for Nic's every nerve was strained
to force the bundle of canes across the stream, so that it might drift
right down upon the boat.

He could only succeed in part, and it soon became evident that he would
float by yards away; but Pete was on the alert. He cast the boat adrift
from where he had secured it to a drooping bough, and giving a few
vigorous pulls with one oar, in another minute he had leaned over the
bows, grasped his companion's hands, dragged him into the boat, and
then, as the buoyant bundle of canes floated away, the poor fellow sank
back in the bottom of the boat and lay staring helplessly.

"Don't you take no notice o' me, Master Nic," he said hoarsely. "Just
put an oar over the ztarn and keep her head ztraight. Zhe'll go down
fast enough. We ought to row up to fetch that fish we left, but we
couldn't do it, zir; for I'm dead beat trying to get to you--just dead
beat."

He closed his eyes, and then opened them again as he felt the warm grasp
of Nic's hand, smiled at him, till his eyelids dropped again, and then
sank into a deep stupor more than sleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

WOMAN'S PITY.

The sun sank lower and disappeared behind the trees straight away as the
boat drifted on; the sky turned of a glorious amber, darkened quickly,
and then it was black night, with the eerie cries of the birds rising on
either side, and the margins of the swift river waking up into life with
the hoarse bellowings and croakings of the reptiles w