Part 30 (1/2)
”Keep off!” he shouted ”You will upset the canoe if you attempt to take us on board I'll make for the rock”
That he would be able to do so, however, seemed very doubtful, and we trembled for his and Martin's safety, while we still plied our paddles to stem the current and at the same time to avoid the rock
”Go to the other side,” shouted Alick; ”and, Pat, you get on the rock and helpthat it was the best course to pursue, we obeyed his order, and turning round into our usual position when paddling, we directed the canoe so as to round the southern end of the rock, and then, though drifted down some yards, we once more paddled up to it on its eastern or lower side Here we could approach it without difficulty, and finding bottom with our paddles, Pat, as directed, stepped out, and clambered up to the top of the rock
A minute or more of intense anxiety had passed since we had last seen Alick and Martin; and Robin and I looked eagerly up at Pat to hear his report Without uttering a word, however,him slip down to the other side of the rock
”Can they have sunk!” exclaimed Robin ”He would have told us if he had seen theone down the rock had they disappeared,” I answered, but still I felt terribly anxious, and wished that Alick had told me to land instead of Pat; still, under such circumstances, it is alise to obey orders, and I hoped for the best
To leave the canoe and go to their assistance would be dangerous in the extreme, as, should she drift away, Robin would be unable by himself to paddle her back I could not, however, resist the te Bouncer, and one pat on the back while I pointed to the top of the rock was sufficient to make hiave and the wag of his tail, as he looked down on the other side, convinced me that our companions were safe, and presently afterwards I saw Alick and Pat lifting Martin's apparently inanimate body to the summit
”He is still alive,” cried Alick; ”but we hted as soon as possible”
He said nothe stern of the canoe closer to the rock
This we did, when, wading into the water, he placed Martin on board, he hi in, followed by Pat and Bouncer
We were noe found, close to the foot of the rapid, and a few more strokes carried us into comparatively still water A short distance off, on the left bank, was a wood of some size The bank, which here formed a small bay, was sufficiently low to enable us to land; we paddled rapidly towards it, but e got near the spot we found that the water was not of sufficient depth to allow the canoe, heavily-laden as she was, to get alongside Pat therefore stepped out, and loading hies of meat and all the skins, carried the into the water, ere able to drag the canoeMartin by the shoulders and I taking his legs, we carried him on shore
He made no movement, and as I looked into his face I certainly feared that he was dead Robinhis hands before his eyes, he burst into tears
”Oh! he's gone, he's gone!” hefriend An open space being found, Pat spread out the skins, and without a an to collect wood for a fire As soon as Robin and I had unloaded the canoe and lifted her up the bank, we assisted hi off Martin's wet gar done so, he called and desired me to rub his feet and hands, while rapped hi, which gave us soe As soon as the fire was lighted we placed him as close to it as was prudent, while Pat and Robin cut some stakes and collected soht still further shelter hinised us, but was still unable to speak We continued rubbing hi raised
Pat, also by Alick's directions, got water and put soht have broth to pour down his throat as soon as he was able to s it The iradual that I proposed--as it was ie till the next day--that it would be advisable to build a hich would afford better shelter than the lean-to during the night
”I agree with you,” answered Alick, ”and the sooner you set about it the better”
”So ill,” I said; ”but I wish that you would get off your wet clothes, or, strong as you are, you hed at this notion ”This fire will soon dry me,” he answered, ”and I'll stay by it and attend to Martin while you three collect the wah my clothes were dry, except my moccasins and the lower part of ed to set off with Pat and Robin
We settled to put up a good large hich ht hold us all; and we could then have a fire in the centre This for Martin's sake would be very is we could find, and ere fortunate in discovering nuood condition to have formed a canoe, had we been compelled to build one
A very short tihen materials are abundant, as they were in the present instance; and it is wonderful what a comfortable abode it affords, impervious alike to rain or wind or even to an ordinary amount of cold
When in a sheltered situation, the Indians pass most severe winters in these habitations, built in the recesses of cypress groves, through which the chilling blast fails to find an entrance Having put up the e cleared away the grass froht hole in the centre, which we surrounded with the largest stones we could find This was to for to the bottom, would enable a sufficient current of air to enter and keep it blazing Our next care was to cut down a good supply of spruce fir tops to forh for all of us, including Bouncer, and would have held another guest, leaving ample space between the feet of the sleepers and the fire We little thought at the ti we should require it
As soon as it was finished, we lifted Martin up on one of the skins, and carried hi, for as I bent over him I heard him whisper, ”Thank you! thank you!” but he could say no reatly revived hilad of a hearty meal