face contorted
with pain, as he vainly struggled in the water, 'and it's ourselves
that 'll take the good care of yees jist.'

'Stop yer confounded floundering,' admonished Hopkins; 'it won't do no
good, and there ain't no necessity for it.'

One of them took the arm upon one side, and the other the same upon
the opposite side, and struck out for the shore. The poor trapper
realized his dire extremity, and remained motionless while they towed
him along.

'Aisy jist-aiey now!' admonished Mickey: 'ye're in a bad fix; but by
the blessin' of Heaven we'll do the fair thing wid yees. We understand
the science of swimmin', and--'

At that moment some drowning wretch caught the foot of the Irishman,
and he was instantly drawn under water, out of sight.

Neither Hopkins nor Baldy lost presence of mind in this fearful
moment, but continued their progress toward shore, as though nothing
of the kind had happened.

As for the Irishman, his situation for the time was exceedingly
critical. The man who had clutched his foot did so with the grasp of a
drowning man; in their struggle both went to the bottom of the river
together. Here, by a furious effort, Mickey shook him free, and coming
to the surface, struck out again for the suffering hunter.

'It is sorry I am that I was compelled to leave yees behind,' he
muttered, glancing over his shoulder in search of the poor fellow from
whom he had just freed himself; 'but yees are past helpin', and so
it's maeself that must attend to the poor gentleman ahead.'

Striking powerfully out, he soon came beside his friends again and
took the drooping arm of Baldy Bicknell.

'Be yees sufferin' to a great extent?' inquired the kind-hearted
Irishman, looking at the white face of the silent hunter.

'Got a purty good whack over the back,' he replied, between his
compressed lips, as he forced back all expression of pain.

''Ye'll be aisier when we fotch ye to the land, as me uncle obsarved
whin he hauled the big fish ashore that was thrashing his line to
pieces jist.'

'Twon't take you long to git over it,' added Hopkins, anxious to give
his grain of consolation; 'you look, now, like quite a healthy young
man.'

The current was quite rapid, and it was no light labor to tow the
helpless hunter ashore; but the two friends succeeded, and at length
drew him out upon the land and stretched him upon the sward.

The exertion of keeping their charge afloat, and breasting the current
at the s