Almost instantly Bob realized that so far as mere strength went he was no match for the burly Frenchman. He must pit his skill against the strength of his antagonist. Almost at once the Frenchman secured a grip on Bob’s throat, but he had managed to free himself before the man could shut off his wind. It was this hold that he feared and he exerted all his skill to prevent a recurrence of it and for a time was successful. But soon, despite his best efforts, the Frenchman again got his huge hand on his throat and this time the boy was not able to squirm free. Quickly the man’s grasp tightened and Bob realized that unless something happened the fight would soon be over. At that instant, just when the man’s grip had tightened so that he was hardly able to breathe, the thought of a trick which he had learned some years before, flashed into his mind. The Frenchman had only one of his hands about Bob’s throat and the other was pressing against his left shoulder. Quickly working his right hand beneath the man’s arm, he seized hold of his wrist with both hands, and exerting all his strength, gave it a quick twist. The bone snapped with an audible crack and the man, with a cry of pain, leaped to his feet and Bob at once did likewise. For a moment the Frenchman seemed too dazed to speak, then as he tried in vain to lift the injured arm, he whispered hoarsely: “You hav’ bust dat arm.” Bob saw at once that all the fight had been taken out of the man. “It’s too bad it had to be done,” he said not unkindly, “but it was the only way I could keep you from choking me to death. Now,” he continued in a firm tone, as the Frenchman looked at him, his face contorted with both anger and pain, “if you want to save yourself a good deal of trouble with that arm you’ll not try to hinder me but let me get this boat back to the wharf as soon as possible.” “Oui, I no bother you,” the man groaned, as he sank into an old chair. Bob at once threw open the door of the furnace, and seeing that the fire was in fair shape, he put on a couple of shovelsfull of coal and opened the drafts. There was nothing more he could do until he had a head of steam. “Arm pain you much?” he asked, as he sat down on the doorstep. “Oui, she hurt plenty mooch,” the man growled. “Why did you try to steal the boat?” “Non. I no try steal boat,” the Frenchman denied. “I been up North East Carry. Geet lost comin’ back and ver’ tired. See boat, and geet in to tak’ rest. Dat rope she must bust. Boat drift off. I know nuttin ’bout it till I wake up, see you try tie me up.” “Hum, it’s mighty strange how a boat could chafe an inch and a half rope in two with almost no wind blowing,” Bob returned shaking his head. “No, I’m afraid it won’t go down. I’m sorry about your arm, but I didn’t much fancy being choked to death. Tom Bean will set it for you and he can do as good a job as any doctor.” “But I lose my wages,” the man whined.