ate of these unlucky
_detenus_, who, as the summer advances, must, to say the least of it,
become most uncomfortably warm about the middle of the day. K----r
wasted, as I considered, much time in sentimentalizing over their
probable fate, for I found that he loitered behind by every basin which
contained a larger specimen than usual.

After a rather prolonged halt, I was preparing to _row_ my friend for
his vexatious display of philanthropy, when he came to me with his right
arm soaked up to the shoulder, grievously lamenting his having failed,
by an untimous slip, in securing a fellow of at least nine or ten
pounds' weight.

"What the devil!" exclaimed I, "is it possible that you contemplated
scrambling your way back to give this finny gentleman the freedom of the
river?"

"Not at all, my dear fellow," replied my sensitive friend; "I merely
contemplated carrying him to Washington, and giving him the freedom of
the boiler. The Baron would have rejoiced in him; he was a fish for the
Czar himself! Besides, it would have been an act of charity to the poor
devil of a fish, the consummation of whose horrid fate is alarmingly
nigh, since there is not over six inches of water on the rock, and that
already as close as may be upon ninety-four degrees. That one dip has
parboiled my right arm; I must plunge it in the first running water to
cool it."

I enjoyed a good laugh at K----'s hot-bath fishing, but did not dream of
the thorough cooling in store for my charitable piscator.

On we dashed, full of excitement and high spirits, and hit the stream
at a point very little below where we had before landed. Captain T----ll
was still on his post; and with less of precaution than we had used at
crossing, in dashed K----r some yards in advance of me, although I being
mounted on a more powerful horse, had before taken the first of the
current whilst my friend rode on my quarter, thus mutually sustaining
each other.

Whilst I was yet upon the bank, K----'s nag lost his footing, and turned
fairly head over heels in the very middle of the passage, at the
shortest possible notice. The first intimation I got of the event was
missing my man, and in his stead perceiving four bright shoes glancing
in the sun above the broken water. In a moment, however, he emerged to
day once more; and after a second dive or so, gained good bottom, losing
only a few ounces of blood from a broken nose. I led his horse safely
ashore; and the brute, though