As a man is awakened from a trance, the sound shocked Teddy into action. He flung himself into the saddle. His hand flailed the bronco’s side. Flash, hunching his hind legs, sprang forward.
“Down to him, Flash! Down to him! We’ve got to—”
The horse understood. Oblivious of his own safety, he plunged headlong toward the rocky beach and toward the boy and horse struggling in the water. Teddy, in a passing moment, knew that the runaway had, after all, remained safely on the ledge above.
As the boy neared the spot, he saw with a heartfelt prayer of thankfulness that Roy had cleared the rocks and had fallen into the deeper part of the river.
Even before Flash had reached the water’s edge, Teddy had his rope in readiness. If Roy were conscious, he could grab the end and be pulled ashore. If not—
Then Teddy saw his brother. The rushing waters calmed for a moment and disclosed Roy, his hand still clutching the bridle of his pony, lying inertly on the surface of the pool, kept afloat by that grip alone. His face was upward, a red streak showing across the forehead.
Teddy uttered not a word. His lips were bloodless and pressed tightly together. He slid swiftly from the saddle.
Without a single waste motion he uncoiled his rope and tied the loose end of it about his waist. The other was fastened to the saddlehorn. Between the shore and Roy was a fierce current, and it was into this that Teddy threw himself. Flash, his neck craned forward, stood like a rock a little distance from the turbulent stream.
Everything was fighting Teddy—the stream, the rope about his waist, and a growing sense of panic, a fear that when he reached his brother it would be too late. But he kept on, scarcely daring to hope, swimming with a fierce determination to see it through. Now he could hear the breathing of Star. Now he saw the drawn, grey face of his brother. Now he could reach him!
The current released its clinging swirls from his body, and Teddy floated in the comparative stillness of the pool. His arm encircled Roy’s shoulders. For one long moment he gazed into the face of him who had been always at his side, who had shared every danger with him—his brother.