I did so his face came under the blaze, and I
recognised my betting bully. "Not so fast, Sir!" said I, still holding
him. He uttered but one word in reply--and that was a fearful oath--but
at the moment I saw in his uplifted hand the shining blade of a
bowie-knife! So unexpectedly did this weapon appear, that I had no
chance of evading the blow; and the next moment I felt the cold steel
passing through my arm. It was not a fatal stab, however; and before
the brute could repeat it, I had, in the phraseology of the ring,
"planted" a blow upon his chin, that sent him sprawling over the chairs,
while at the same time the knife flew out of his grasp. This I caught
up, and hesitated for a moment whether to use it upon the ruffian; but
my better feelings overcame my passion, and I flung the weapon into the
river.

Almost instantaneously I plunged after. I had no time to tarry. The
blaze had reached the wheel-house, close to which we were, and the heat
was no longer to be borne. My last glance at the spot showed me Antoine
and my antagonist struggling among the chairs!

The white drapery served me for a beacon, and I swam after it. The
current had already carried it some distance from the boat, and directly
down stream.

I had hurriedly divested myself of coat and boots, and as my other
garments were of light material they did not impede me. After a few
strokes I swam perfectly free; and, keeping the white dress before my
eyes, I continued on down the river.

Now and then I raised my head above the surface and looked back. I
still had fears that the ruffian might follow; and I had nerved myself
for a struggle in the water!

In a few minutes I was alongside my _protegee_; and, after half-a-dozen
hurried words of encouragement, I laid hold of her with one hand, and
with the other endeavoured to direct our course towards the shore.

In this way the current carried us in a diagonal line, but we still
floated down stream at a rapid rate. A long and weary swim it seemed to
me. Had it been much longer I never should have reached the end of it.

At length we appeared to be near the bank; but as we approached it my
strokes became feebler, and my left hand grasped my companion with a
sort of convulsive effort.

I remember reaching land, however; I remember crawling up the bank with
great difficulty, my companion assisting me! I remember seeing a large
house directly in front of where we had come ashore; I remember