I knew the fire was near me, but I thought I had time enough to
get away from it. Suddenly I felt the bridge giving way. I was close
to the opening into which the horses fell when things began to happen,
and I made a long, desperate dive into the river, hoping to get out
from under the bridge before it fell on me. I remember seeing a great
shower of sparks falling around me as I shot through the air. I
wondered if it were the bridge that was falling with me. Then I struck
the water. I swam under the water with the current as fast as I could,
then when I thought I had gone far enough, to make it safe to rise, I
did so. I don't recall what happened after that. I must have been hit
by something, or else bumped into a timber when I rose to the surface.
It is a wonder I wasn't drowned. When I came to my senses I was slowly
drifting down stream, clinging to a piece of charred plank. I know it
was charred because I could smell it. You know how wet, burnt wood
smells? This piece of plank smelled that way."
"Nithe, appetizing odor," nodded Tommy. "Yeth? Go on."
"I did not know where I was, but I knew I was drifting downstream.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72