Both were excellent swimmers, and had no
difficulty in saving him.
'Do ye rist aisy!' said Mickey, as be saw the hunter's face contorted
with pain, as be vainly struggled in the water, 'and it's ourselves
that II take the good care of yees jist'
'Stop yer confounded floundering,' admonished Hopkins; 'it won't do no
good, and there ain't no necessity for it.'
One of them took the arm upon one side, and the other the same upon
the opposite side, and struck out for the shore. The poor trapper
realized his dire extremity, and remained motionless while they towed
him along.
'Aisy jist-aiey now!' admonished Mickey: 'ye're in a bad fix; but by
the blessin' of Heaven we'll do the fair thing wid yees. We understand
the science of swimmin', and'
At that moment some drowning wretch caught the foot of the Irishman,
and he was instantly drawn under water, out of sight.
Neither Hopkins nor Baldy lost presence of mind in this fearful
moment, but continued their progress toward shore, as though nothing
of the kind had happened.
As for the Irishman, his situation for the time was exceedingly
critical. The man who had clutched his foot did so with the grasp of a
drowning man; in their struggle both went to the bottom of the river
together.
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