not exert much force.
Fred's body swung round with his head upstream, his feet toward the
cataract, and the current split and ripped in spray over his head.

The lithe steel rod bent hoop-like. There was a struggle for a moment,
a deadlock between the stream and the line, and Mac feared that he
could not hold it. The light tackle would never stand the strain.

Mac had fought big fishes before, however, and he knew how to get the
most out of his tackle. With the check on the reel he let out line
inch by inch to ease the resistance; and meanwhile he endeavored to
swing Fred across the current and nearer the shore.

As he stood with every nerve and muscle strained on the fight he
suddenly saw Horace out of the corner of his eye. Horace was beside
him, coat and shoes off, with a long hooked pole in his hands, gazing
with compressed lips at his brother's floating body.

There was not a word exchanged. Under the steady pull Fred came over
in an arc of a circle, but for every foot that was gained Mac had to
let out more line. His legs were swinging already within a few yards
of the dangerous verge, but he was getting out of the center of the
stream, and the current was already less violent.

Inch by inch and foot by foot he came nearer, and all at once Horace
rushed forward, nearly shoulder-deep, and hooked the pole over his
brother's arm. At the jerk the gut casting-line snapped with a crack,
and the end flew back like a whip into Peter's face. But Horace had
drawn Fred within reach, had gripped him, and waded ashore carrying him
in his arms.

"I'll never forget this of you, Mac!" he ejaculated as he passed the
medical student.

Fred had already come half to himself when they laid him on the bank.
He had not swallowed much water, but had been merely knocked senseless
by concussion with a boulder.

"What's--matter?" he muttered faintly, opening his eyes.

"Keep quiet. You fell in the river. Mac fished you out," said Horace.

Fred blinked about vaguely, half-attempted to rise and fell back.

"Gracious! What a head I've got!" he muttered dizzily.

They carried him up to the camp, put him on the blankets and examined
his cranium. The back of his neck was skinned, there was a bleeding
cut on the top of his head and a big bruise on the back, but Mac
pronounced none of these injuries at all serious. While they were
examining him Fred opened his eyes again.

"Fished me out, Mac? Guess you saved my life,"