"We saw you this afternoon out on the river saving Miss Lois and Miss
Margaret."
"Why, where were you?"
"Mr. David and I were up on the hill. We had just come back from a walk up the brook. Mr. David was tired after his excitement, and so we sat down to rest. It was then that we saw you."
"What made Mr. David excited?" Jasper enquired. "I suppose it was the great change he saw at the falls, was it?"
"Oh, no, not that. It was the rolling log which did it. You see, Mr.
David was nearly killed this afternoon."
At these words Jasper stopped short and looked keenly into Betty's face.
"Nearly killed! What do you mean?" he demanded.
"Yes, that was it." Then in a few words the girl told him what had happened up the brook that afternoon, and of old David's narrow escape.
For a while Jasper walked slowly along the road after Betty had finished. He was greatly puzzled, for he could not believe that any log would become loosened at the exact moment when David was directly in front of it unless there was something to start it on its downward course.
"Did you see any men working near the logs when you were there?" he at length asked.