The men endeavored to dissuade him.  It was “a useless risk of life,” they assured him; “the others must have been swept away immediately.  The water had come so sudden.  Besides, the water was rising, and it might even now be too late to get out.”  But Keith was firm, and ordering them back in charge of the two men who had come in with him, he pushed on alone.  He knew that the water was still rising, though, he hoped, slowly.  He had no voice to shout now, but he prayed with all his might, and that soothed and helped him.  Presently the water was a little shallower.  It did not come so high up on him.  He knew from this that he must be reaching the upper level.  Now and then he spoke Bluffy’s and Hennson’s names, lest in the darkness he should pass them.

Presently, as he stopped for a second to take breath, he thought he heard another sound besides the gurgling of the water as it swirled about the timbers.  He listened intently.

It was the boy’s voice.  “Hold me tight, father.  Don’t leave me.”

Then he heard another voice urging him to go.  “You can’t do any good staying; try it.”  But Hennson was refusing.

“Hold on.  I won’t leave you.”

“Hennson!  Bluffy!” shouted Keith, or tried to shout, for his voice went nowhere; but his heart was bounding now, and he plunged on.  Presently he was near enough to catch their words.  The father was praying, and the boy was following him.

“‘Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,’” Keith heard him say.

“Hennson!” he cried again.

From the darkness he heard a voice.

“Who is that?  Is that any one?”

“It is I,—­Mr. Keith,—­Hennson.  Come quick, all of you; you can get out. 
Cheer up.”

A cry of joy went up.

“I can’t leave my boy,” called the man.

“Bring him on your back,” said Keith.  “Come on, Bluffy.”

“I can’t,” said Bluffy.  “I’m hurt.  My leg is broke.”

“God have mercy!” cried Keith, and waded on.

After a moment more he was up with the man, feeling for him in the darkness, and asking how he was hurt.

They told him that the rush of the water had thrown him against a timber and hurt his leg and side.

“Take the boy,” said Bluffy, “and go on; leave me here.”

The boy began to cry.

“No,” said Keith; “I will take you, too:  Hennson can take the boy.  Can you walk at all?”

“I don’t think so.”

Keith made Hennson take the boy and hold on to him on one side, and slipping his arm around the injured man, he lifted him and they started back.  He had put new courage into them, and the force of the current was in their favor.  They passed the first high level, where he had found the others.  When they reached a point where the water was too deep for the boy, Keith made the father take him on his shoulder, and they waded on through the blackness.  The water was now almost up to his chin, and he grew so tired under his burden that he began to think they should never get out; but he fought against it and kept on, steadying himself against the timbers.  He knew that if he went down it was the end.  Many thoughts came to him of the past.  He banished them and tried to speak words of encouragement, though he could scarcely hear himself.