Bart
how the accident had occurred.

His words amounted to the statement that while the speaker and the chief
had been collecting sticks for a fire to roast a salmon they had speared
with a sharp, forked stick, they had seen the Doctor busily rinsing the
sand in a shallow pool of the rocks, well out, where the stream ran
fast. They had not anticipated danger, and were busy over their
preparations, when looking up all at once, they found the Doctor was
gone.

Even then they did not think there was anything wrong, believing that
while they were busy their leader had gone to some other part among the
rocks, till, happening to glance down the stream some minutes later, the
Beaver's quick eyes had caught sight of the bright tin bowl which the
Doctor had been using to rinse the sand in his hunt for gold, floating
on the surface a hundred yards below, and slowly sailing round and round
in an eddy.

This started them in search of the drowning man, with the result that
they reached Bart in time to save both.

For after a long and arduous task the Doctor began to show signs of
returning life, and at last opened his eyes and stared about him like
one who had just awakened from a dream.

"What--what has happened?" he asked. "Did--did I slip from the rocks,
or have I been asleep?"

He shuddered, and struggled into a sitting position, then thoroughly
comprehending after a few minutes what had passed:

"Who saved me?" he asked quickly.

The Beaver seemed to understand the drift of the question, for he
pointed with a smile to Bart.

"You?" exclaimed the Doctor.

"Oh, I did nothing," said Bart modestly. "I saw you floating down
towards me, and tried to pull you on a rock; instead of doing which, you
pulled me in, and we swam down together till I got near the shore, and
then I could do no more. It was the Beaver there who saved us."

The Doctor rose and grasped the chief's hand, wringing it warmly.

"Where's Joses?" he said sharply.

No one knew.

"Let us go back," said the Doctor; "perhaps we shall meet him higher
up;" and looking faint and utterly exhausted, he followed the two
Indians as they chose the most easy part of the valley for walking, the
Doctor's words proving to be right, for they came upon Joses toiling
down towards the passage leading to the plain with six heavy fish
hanging from a tough wand thrust through their gills.

They reached the chimney, as Bart christened it, just about the same
time as