To The West Part 40

"Look at this stump; why, it must be twenty or thirty feet round. And look at 'em, hundreds and thousands of 'em, all standing as close together as they can. Oh, look! look! look! Can't help it, I must shout. I don't care about the trouble or the work, or the long voyage.

I'd go through it all again to come to such a place as this. Oh, I do wish mother was here to see."

I did not give vent to my feelings in the same way, but I felt as much; and all the time, as my heart seemed to swell with joy, there were tears rising to my eyes, and dimming the glorious view of river, mountain, and forest, while I kept on saying to myself, "Thank G.o.d for making such a lovely world."

The first excitement over, and the feeling of wonder that we had not seen all this last night pa.s.sed away, we went on along the clearing to the bank of the river, overlooking the shallows where we were to have our bathe.

The sun was shining down through the opening formed by the stream, and its waters were sparkling and flashing in the light, as we reached the spot Gunson evidently meant, and just then I caught hold of Esau's arm, and stood pointing away toward the middle.

"I see 'em," cried Esau, "just over those shallows. Just like shoals of roach in the Lea or the New River. They must be gudgeon."

"Gudgeon!--nonsense! You forget how big everything is here. They're salmon."

"Go along with you," he cried. "Think I don't know better than that?

Well, I am--"

This last was on seeing a bar of silver about three feet long shoot out of the water, describe a curve, and fall with a tremendous splash not half a stone's throw from where we stood.

"Why, it is!" cried Esau, excitedly. "That was a salmon, and I can see 'em now--they are big--hundreds of 'em, and oh! not a bit o'

fishing-tackle of any sort, not so much as a line."

"Are you coming to bathe?" I cried, laughing.

"Who's to bathe when there's everything to look at like this? Here, don't let's go any further; let's write to mother and the others to come over here."

"There, I shan't wait for you, Esau," I cried, slipping off my clothes; while he began more slowly, gazing about him all the while.

"Can't help it," he said. "I never thought there could be such places as this. I say, ain't it too beautiful a'most?"

_Splash_!

That was my answer as I plunged in, only to shout as I rose to the top again, for the water was so cold it sent quite a thrill through me, and the next minute I was swimming about in the full enjoyment of the dip, after having to be content for months with a miserable allowance of water for washing purposes.

"Here I come: look out!" cried Esau; and the next moment he too sprang in, sending the water up sparkling in the morning sunshine. "Oh!" he cried; "oh! ice! Isn't it cold?"

"You'll soon feel warm," I shouted; and a minute later he was up close beside me, swimming easily, and every now and then dipping his head under water like a duck.

"I shan't go away from here," panted Esau. "It's too lovely to leave.

I shall build a cottage down by the river side and live there, and then we can fish for salmon. What more does a fellow want?"

"Let's wait a bit, and see what the rest of the country is like. We may find a better place."

"Couldn't," cried Esau. "I say, one don't feel the water so cold now.

I don't want a place to be any better than this. It's just right."

"Well, let's swim back now, and dress. I want my breakfast, and I dare say Gunson's ready."

"Bother old Gunson!" puffed Esau. "He's a regular nuisance. Is he going to-day?"

"I can't talk in--the water."

"What?"

"Come on back now."

I had turned, and begun swimming steadily back, for the water hardly flowed here close to the sh.o.r.e; and as I swam I kept on glancing up at the huge trees, which were four or five times the size of any I had ever seen before.

"Don't you want your breakfast, Esau?" I said, after a few minutes'

swim, but he did not answer. "Esau, come along." But still there was no answer; and I turned round and looked back, to see that he was still swimming in the other direction, and a long way from me.

"Esau," I roared, "come back!" and I had the satisfaction of seeing him turn, and begin to swim in my direction.

Striking out strongly, I was making for the place where I had left my clothes, when I suddenly heard him hail me.

"Hallo!" I shouted.

"Can't seem to get along here."

I stopped to watch him, and then a cold shudder ran through me, for I could see that though he was swimming with his face toward me, he was slowly gliding away by the trees on the opposite bank.

"He has got into the current," I thought; and I was going to shout a warning, but I had the good sense not to do so, for I felt that it would alarm him, and beginning to swim back, I cried--

"Turn in for the sh.o.r.e."

"Eh?"

"Make for the sh.o.r.e."

"Can't, lad," came back; and the cold chill I had before felt thrilled me; while feeling as if I dared not speak, I swam towards him, in agony all the time, for fear I should get into the current with which he was struggling.

"Don't get much nearer," he shouted, coolly enough, for he had not yet realised his clanger; and making an effort to speak as calmly, I raised my voice and shouted--

"Of course you don't. Turn round and swim the other way, sloping for the bank."

He did not answer, but he had evidently heard my words, for he rose in the water, turned with a bit of a splash, and began to swim in the other direction; while I followed, keeping close in where there was hardly any current.

Then I stopped and uttered a hoa.r.s.e cry, for I saw him suddenly shoot right out toward the centre of the stream, and begin going down at a rate that was terrible. For I could see that any attempt to fight against the stream would be folly; all he could do was to keep himself afloat, and trust to being swept into some other cross current which might take him sh.o.r.eward.

I felt willing enough to go to his help, but I could do nothing, and the feeling of impotence began to rob me of such little power as I possessed.

And now I saw that he realised his peril, for he raised one arm above the water and waved it to me, lowering it again directly, and swimming with the side-stroke, so that it seemed to me that he was drowning, for his head was nearly hidden by the water.

"Now, my lads, breakfast," came from the bank, and I saw Gunson appear from among the pines. "Out with you. Where is Dean?"

I rose in the water, and pointed to where the poor fellow was rapidly pa.s.sing out of eye-shot, being now quite three hundred yards away, and rapidly increasing the distance.

"What madness! He'll be--"

I didn't hear him finish the sentence, but I know what he meant to say; and in despair I swam to the shallows, waded out, and stood shading my eyes and watching Esau, who was still afloat, but rapidly being carried away.