went back into the woods a
bit to get one. When he returned, he brought a young tree on his
shoulder, which he began to strip of its branches and bark. `Louis,'
says he, `this is hot work; give us a pipe.' So I rummaged about for
some tobacco, but found there was none left in my bag; so I went to my
kit and got out my roll, about three fathoms or so, and cutting half of
it off, I went to the fire and twisted it round his neck by way of a
joke, and he said he'd wear it as a necklace all night--and so he did,
too, and forgot to take it off in the morning; and when we came near the
rapids I couldn't get at my bag to stow it away, so says I, `Francois,
you'll have to run with it on, for I can't stop to stow it now.' `All
right,' says he, `go ahead;' and just as he said it, we came in sight of
the first run, foaming and boiling like a kettle of robbiboo. `Take
care, lads,' I cried, and the next moment we were dashing down towards
the bend in the river. As we came near to the shoot, I saw Francois
standing up on the gunwale to get a better view of the rocks ahead, and
every now and then giving me a signal with his hand how to steer.
Suddenly he gave a shout, and plunged his long pole into the water, to
fend off from a rock which a swirl in the stream had concealed. For a
second or two his pole bent like a willow, and we could feel the heavy
boat jerk off a little with the tremendous strain; but all at once the
pole broke off short with a crack, Francois' heels made a flourish in
the air, and then he disappeared head foremost into the foaming water,
with my tobacco coiled round his neck! As we flew past the place, one
of his arms appeared, and I made a grab at it, and caught him by the
sleeve; but the effort upset myself, and over I went too. Fortunately,
however, one of my men caught me by the foot, and held on like a vice;
but the force of the current tore Francois' sleeve out of my grasp, and
I was dragged into the boat again just in time to see my comrade's legs
and arms going like the sails of a windmill, as he rolled over several
times and disappeared. Well, we put ashore the moment we got into still
water, and then five or six of us started off on foot to look for
Francois. After half an hour's search, we found him pitched upon a flat
rock in the middle of the stream like a bit of driftwood. We
immediately waded out to the rock and brought him ashore, where we
lighted a fire, took off all his clothes, and rubb