ond the shelter of the
overhanging trees.

"It is like exposing ourselves to being shot down while perfectly
helpless, old fellow," he said, with his lips close to Bracy's ear.

"But we can't stay here: they'll track us to where you fell, and see the
broken branches overhead. What then?" said Bracy.

"Right; we shall be easy marks for the brutes. Now, then, forward!"

Without hesitation this time, and with his following linked in
accordance with his orders, Roberts began to wade, facing the rushing
water and leaning towards it as it pressed against his breast, to divide
it, forming a little wave which rushed by to right and left. Step
followed step taken sidewise, and at the third he and the private
following him stood out clear of the overhanging growth, so that he
could see plainly the task that was before him.

It was enough to startle the strongest man, for there were about fifty
yards of a rushing torrent to stem, as it swept icily cold along the
river's rocky bed, and already the pressure seemed greater than he could
bear, while he felt that if the water rose higher he would be perfectly
helpless to sustain its force. But a sharp glance upward and downward
showed him spots where the water foamed and leaped, and there he knew
that the stream must be shallower; in fact, in two places he kept on
catching sight of patches of black rock which were bared again and
again. Setting his teeth hard, and making the first of these his goal,
he stepped on cautiously, this choice of direction, being diagonally
up-stream, necessarily increasing the distance to be traversed, but
lessening the pressure upon the little linked-together line of men.

"We shall never do it," thought Bracy as, in his turn, he waded out into
the open stream, his arms well extended and his companions on either
side gazing up-stream with a peculiar strained look about their eyes.
But there was no sign of flinching, no hesitation; every man was full of
determination, the three privates feeling strengthened by being linked
with and thus sharing the danger with their officers; while Roberts, as
leader, felt, however oppressed by the sense of all that depended upon
him, invigorated by the knowledge that he must reach that shallow place.
Once he had his men there, they could pause for a few minutes' rest
before making the next step.

On he pressed, left shoulder forward, against the rushing waters;
feeling moment by moment that the slightest drag fr