there."

"That fellow never knew what hit him," I remarked. "He did n't get
up for half a minute."

"Must 'a' swatted 'im powerful," said D'ri, as he felt his
knuckles. "Gol-dum ther picturs! Go 'n' try t' yank a man right
off a boat like thet air when they hain' no right t' tech 'im. Ef
I 'd 'a' hed Ol' Beeswax, some on 'em 'd 'a' got hurt."

"How did you get here?" I inquired.

"Swum," said he. "Could n't go nowheres else. Current fetched me
here. Splits et the head o' the island--boun' ter land ye right
here. Got t' be movin'. They 'll be efter us, mebbe--'s the fust
place they 'd look."

A few logs were stranded on the stony point of the island. We
withed three others to mine, setting sail with two bits of
driftwood for paddles. We pulled for the south shore, but the
current carried us rapidly down-river. In a bay some two miles
below we found, to our joy, the two sections of the big raft
undergoing repairs. At daybreak D'ri put off in the woods for home.

"Don't like the idee o' goin' int' the British navy," said he. "'D
ruther chop wood 'n' ketch bears over 'n St. Lawrence County.
Good-by, Ray! Tek care o' yerself."

Those were the last words he said to me, and soon I was on the raft
again, floating toward the great city of my dreams. I had a mighty