firm, drew up a long spruce pole from a neighboring fence, and,
shooting it forward through the first stream of water, passed over
upon it to the uncovered ice; and then, drawing their spar-bridge to
the water next the other bank, went through the same process, till
they had all reached the opposite shore unwet and in safety.

Here they again paused to note the appearance of the disturbed
elements; for, in addition to the threatening aspect which the river
was here fast assuming, a slight trembling of the ground began
occasionally to be perceptible; while unusual sounds seemed to come
mingling from a distance, with the roaring of the wind and the noise
of rushing waters, as if earth, air, and water were all joining their
disturbed forces for some general commotion.

"The water and ice are strangely agitated, it appears to me," observed
Woodburn to his companions, as they stood looking on the scene before
them. "See how like a pot the water boils up through that crevice
yonder! Then hear that swift, lumbering rush of the stream beneath!
The whole river, indeed, seems fairly to groan, like some huge animal
confined down by an insupportable burden, from which it is laboring to
free itself. I have noticed such appearances, I think, when the ice
was on the point of breaking up; but that can hardly be the case here,
at present can it?"

"On the point of breaking up, now?" said one of the company in reply.
"No, indeed! Why, the ice is more than three feet thick, and as sound
and solid as a rock. Should it rain from this time till to-morrow
noon, it won't start."

"Well, now, I don't know about that," remarked an observant old