e, the ferryboat had floated away, carried down by the
stream, and the shrieks of those whom it contained resounded more and
more. A man with gray hair had thrown himself from the boat into the
river and was swimming vigorously toward the person who was drowning;
but being obliged to go against the current he advanced but slowly.
Raoul continued his way and was visibly gaining ground; but the horse
and its rider, of whom he did not lose sight, were evidently sinking.
The nostrils of the horse were no longer above water, and the rider, who
had lost the reins in struggling, fell with his head back and his arms
extended. One moment longer and all would disappear.

"Courage!" cried Raoul, "courage!"

"Too late!" murmured the young man, "too late!"

The water closed above his head and stifled his voice.

Raoul sprang from his horse, to which he left the charge of its own
preservation, and in three or four strokes was at the gentleman's side;
he seized the horse at once by the curb and raised its head above water;
the animal began to breathe again and, as if he comprehended that they
had come to his aid, redoubled his efforts. Raoul at the same time
seized one of the young man's hands and placed it on the mane, which it
grasped with the tenacity of a drowning man. Thus, sure that the rider
would not release his hold, Raoul now only directed his attention to the
horse, which he guided to the opposite bank, helping it to cut through
the water and encouraging it with words.

All at once the horse stumbled against a ridge and then placed its foot
on the sand.

"Saved!" exclaimed the man with gray hair, who also touched bottom.

"Saved!" mechanically repeated the young gentleman, releasing the mane
and sliding from the saddle into Raoul's arms; Raoul was but ten yards
from the shore; there he bore the fainting man, and laying him down
upon the grass, unfastened the buttons of his collar and unhooked his
doublet. A moment later the gray-headed man was beside him. Olivain
managed in his turn to land, after crossing himself repeatedly; and
the people in the ferryboat guided themselves as well as they were able
toward the bank, with the aid of a pole which chanced to be in the boat.

Thanks to the attentions of Raoul and the man who accompanied the young
gentleman, the color gradually returned to the pale cheeks of the dying
man, who opened his eyes, at first entirely bewildered, but who soon
fixed his gaze upon the person who