294 THE ARCTIC PRAIRIES 



there on his back was the canvas bag that held the 

 labour of all these long toilsome months. 



"'I got 'em all right/ he managed to say, smiling 

 in a weak way. 



"'And the boys?' 



"'All right now/ 



"'Thank God!' I broke down, and wrung his hand; 

 'I won't forget,' was all I could say. Hot tea revived 

 him, loosened his tongue, and I heard the story. 



"'I knew,' he said, 'what was first to save when I 

 seen you got ashore. Me and Billy we run like crazy, 

 we see dat bag 'way out in the deep strong water. 

 De odder tings came in de eddies, but dat bag it keep 

 'way out, but we run along de rocks; after a mile it 

 came pretty near a point, and Billy, he climb on a rock 

 and reach out, but he fall in deep water and was carried 

 far, so he had to swim for his life. I jump on rocks 

 anoder mile to anoder point; I got ahead of de bag, 

 den I get two logs, and hold dem between my legs for 

 raft, and push out; but dat dam river he take dem 

 logs very slow, and dat bag very fast, so it pass by. 

 But Billy he swim ashore, and run some more, and he 

 make a raft; but de raft he stick on rock, and de bag 

 he never stick, but go like hell. 



"'Den I say, "Here, Billy, you give me yo' sash," 

 and I run tree mile more, so far I loss sight of dat bag 

 and make good raft. By'mebye Billy he come shout- 

 ing and point, I push out in river, and paddle, and 

 watch, and sure dere come dat bag. My, how he 

 travel! far out now; but I paddle and push hard and 

 bump he came at raft and I grab him. Oh! maybe I 



