Great logs reared their butts or tops out of the heaving mass. Some
rolled round and disappeared beneath those that crept upon them, but
for a moment or two the shattered trunk, jammed down by the weight
upon it, held them back from the plunge into the rapid. It smashed
among the rocks that ground and rent it as it slowly gave way, and
Wheeler ran his hardest towards a strip of shingle that projected a
little into the river. He saw Nasmyth, who had evidently lost his
footing, driving downstream towards it, and knew that in another
moment or two the logs would be upon him.

Nasmyth was not exactly swimming. In fact, strictly speaking, one
cannot swim in a rapid, nor when there is only three or four feet of
water can one get upon one's feet. He rolled over and over, went down
and came up again, until Wheeler, floundering into the foaming water,
clutched him, and held on desperately, though he felt that his arm was
being drawn out of its socket. He would probably have been swept away,
too, had not somebody grabbed his jacket, and he heard a hoarse voice
behind him.

"Heave!" it said--"heave!"

The strain on Wheeler's arm became intolerable, but somehow he held
fast, and just then there was an appalling crash and roar. He felt
himself being dragged backwards, and in another moment fell heavily
upon the shingle with Nasmyth across his feet. Blinking about him half
dazed, he saw the logs drive by, rolling, grinding, smashing, and
falling on one another. Then, as they whirled down the rapid, and the
roar they made began to die away, he looked round, and saw several
gasping men standing close behind him.

"Guess that was quite a near thing," said one of them. "Any way, in
this kind of contract you can sure figure on trouble."

This, as a matter of fact, was perfectly correct, for it is only at
considerable peril to life and limb that saw-logs are driven down the
rivers to a Western mill. They must be guided through each awkward
pass and frothing rapid, and the men who undertake it spring with pike
and peevie from one to another while the rolling trunks tumultuously
charge on.

Nobody, however, troubled himself any further about the matter, and in
a few more minutes the men had set to work again heaving the rocks
that had held up the first log out of the river with the derrick. It
was not until supper was over, and he sat with his companions in the
shanty, that Wheeler referred to the affair again. He looked at
Nasmy