"When it reaches his waist," was my agonized thought, "it will be over my head!"
The other gentleman rode to my side.
"Keep a firm hold of your bridle," said he, gravely, "and watch your horse. If he falls—"
"Falls! In here!"
"They do sometimes; one must be prepared. If he falls—of course you can swim?"
"I never swam a stroke in my life; I never even tried!"
"Is it possible?" said he, in astonishment. "Why, we would not have advised you to come at this time if we had known that. We took it for granted that you wouldn't think of going unless you could swim."
"Oh," said I, sarcastically, "do all the women in Valdez swim?"
"No," he answered, gravely, "but then, they don't go over the trail. Well, we can only hope that he will not fall. When he breaks into a swim—"
"Swim! Will he do that?"