CROSSING A STRINGER 3 



but to attempt to shoot any of them was out 

 of the question. Sneaking round the edge of 

 the lake, we found that, in order to get near 

 enough to reach any game on the meadow, it 

 was necessary to cross the stream, otherwise 

 the distance was too great for a sure shot ; so 

 we crept along through the high meadow- 

 grass, until under cover of the underbrush at 

 the edge of the stream, which we found to be 

 so strong and deep as to deter us from 

 attempting to ford it, so we continued to follow 

 it down, hoping to find a bridge, and in this 

 we were successful. 



But the crossing-stringer (an old tree) did 

 not seem over-safe. However, we had to get 

 over some way, and that speedily, as the time 

 for calling was getting short so upon it Jack 

 started with gun and call, as boldly as a sailor 

 walking a greased pole over the water, when, 

 just in the middle, with the words " All right " 

 on his lips, it collapsed, pitching him into the 

 water with his feet from under him, one hand 

 in the air holding the call, the other on the 

 bottom, clinging to his gun, with his face just 

 out of water, blowing like a bull for breath, 

 with the ludicrous expression forced upon our 



