WILD SWANS. 237% 
for it, but before I could reach it I tumbled headlong 
into the water. I arose in a hurry, puffing and blowing, 
and as my garments were all wet, I became somewhat 
desperate, and dashing further out, I seized the bird by 
the-neck and dragged-it ashore, though not without re- 
ceiving several severe blows from its uninjured wing. 
Shivering as I was, I could not help laughing at the 
Indian, who was making very wry faces, and rubbing his 
shoulder vigorously. To my query of what ailed him, 
he responded with a disgusted wach, and said: ‘“‘ Him 
kick heap dam;” and taking the offending weapon in his 
hand he dashed it to the ground, with an emphatic im- 
precation that sounded very much like swearing. 
When my pale-faced companion arrived on the scene 
he decided that we should hasten homeward immediately, 
for fear I might catch a cold from my drenching, and as 
the proposition was agreeable, I acceded to it. Having 
placed our trophies in the boat, we jumped in, and were 
joined by the red man, as his arm was too sore to enable 
him to paddle his own canoe. Tying his craft behind 
ours, we hoisted sail, and in the course of half an hour 
reached my friend’s ranch, but when I attempted to walk 
to the house I found it a matter of difficulty, as my 
clothes had frozen stiff. 
As soon as I entered, I threw off my garments, bath- 
ed the body with cold water, and after a vigorous ap- 
plication of a rough towel, wrapped myself in a heavy 
blanket and retired to bed. I then took a generous 
quantity of punch, after which I closed my eyes, and 
slept soundly until daylight. When I awoke I felt as 
comfortable, both mentally and physically, as if I had 
met with no mishap. The Indian had departed before I 
arose, so that I could not tell how much he was injured, 
but, judging from what the host told me, he must have 
paid dearly for his desire to acquit himself creditably. 
His arm was, it seems, very much swollen and discolored, 
