"Sam, do you think he will live?" Over and over Henry asked the question as he and the old frontiersman worked over the inanimate form they had brought to shore from the waters of the river. "Hope so, Henry, but I can't tell yet," was Barringford's answer. "We'll do all we can, and trust the rest to God." Both worked with a will, doing whatever they thought was best. Barringford held Dave up by the ankles and allowed much of the water to run from the unfortunate's mouth, and then they rolled the youth and worked his arms and rubbed him. At first it looked as if all their efforts would be in vain, and tears gathered in Henry's eyes. But then they saw Dave give a faint shudder, followed by a tiny gasp. "He's comin' around!" shouted Barringford, in a strangely unnatural voice. "Praise Heaven for it!" But there was still much to do before Dave could breath with any kind of regularity, and they continued to rub him and slap him, while Barringford forced him to gulp down a small quantity of stimulants brought along in case of emergency. Then a fire was started up, and later on Henry brought over the youth's clothes, for to take Dave across the stream was out of the question. For over an hour Dave felt so weak that neither of the others attempted to question him. Both helped him into his clothes, and gave him something hot to drink, and made him comfortable on a couch of twigs and leaves. "I thought my time had come when I went under," he said, when he could talk. "The rock pinned me down between the tree-roots, and if it hadn't been for the roots, I suppose I should have been crushed to death. I held my breath as long as I could, and then I gulped in some water and lost my senses." "It was truly a narrow escape," was Barringford's comment. "I didn't expect no sech accident when I let ye go into the swimmin' match." "Did you go under, Henry?" "Yes, but I soon got myself loose," was the reply. "I was almost scared stiff when you didn't come up, Dave. After this we'll have to be more careful than ever." "It was wuss nor thet wildcat, I reckon," came from Barringford. "I should say so," returned Henry promptly. "It almost makes me vow never to go in swimming again." As Dave continued to feel weak it was decided to remain where they were all of the next day. Henry procured a log and some brushwood, and on these ferried over their things, and he likewise tied up the horses, so that they might not stray away. By morning Dave felt more like himself, and he would have gone ahead on the hunt, but Barringford would not permit it. "We have plenty of time," said the old frontiersman. "You jest lay around in the sun, an' you'll feel better for it." "Well, then, you and Henry can go out," insisted Dave. "There is no reason why you should suck your thumbs waiting for me."