we
went on swifter and swifter, till all at once I caught sight of the
boat, moored some distance onward, with the four men in it sitting with
their backs to me. I made up my mind to leap into the water and swim to
them, but the next minute I knew that it would be impossible, and that
the branches would stop me, entangle me, and that I should be drowned.
Then the tree began to go faster and drift out toward the middle, but it
was caught by an eddy and swept in again toward the shore, so that I
felt I should be carried near to the boat, and I shouted to them then to
throw me a rope."

"No good to try and throw a rope," growled Shaddy faintly.

"Go on, my lad," whispered Brazier, for Joe had stopped.

"They saw me for the first time, and gave a shout, but they all stood up
directly, horrified, for the fierce stream now bore me swiftly on right
down upon them, and before we could all realise it the boughs were under
and over the boat, and it was carried away from where it was moored.
And there it was just beneath me, with the boughs going more and more
over and under it, and our speed increasing till I began to wonder
whether we should roll right over and force it down, or the lower boughs
lift and raise it right up. Then there was another thing to consider--
whether I ought to try and drop down into the boat, or they ought to
climb up to me."

"Ah!" ejaculated Rob, heaving a long sigh and then breathing hard.

"And all this time," continued Joe, "we were being swept down the stream
at a tremendous rate, too frightened to do anything, making up our mind
one way one minute, altering it the next; while, to my great delight,
the tree kept in just the same position, which, I have since supposed,
must have been because the roots were so laden with earth and stones
that it served as a balance to the boughs.

"We went on down like this for hours, expecting every minute would be
our last, for so sure as the tree touched bottom or side it must have
been rolled over by the swift current, but the water was so deep that we
kept on, and, at last gaining courage, I lowered myself a little and got
upon another bough, which was very near to the boat, and there I stood
upright.

"`Shall I jump?' I said, and they stood up ready to catch me, but I
hesitated for a few moments before making a spring, which would take me
through some thin twigs between us.

"In my hurry and excitement, I jumped with all my force, but caught one
fo