Meanwhile the young couple went on, and found an old man by the river.
He said, "Truly you are in great danger, for the kewahqu' is coming.
But I will help you." Saying this, he threw himself into the water,
where he floated with outstretched limbs, and said, "Now, my children,
get on me." The girl feared lest she should fall off, but being
reassured mounted, when he turned into a canoe, which carried them
safely across. But when they turned to look at him, lo! he was no
longer a canoe, but an old Duck. "Now, my dear children," he said,
"hasten to the top of yonder old mountain, high among the gray rocks.
There you will find your friend." They fled, to the old gray mountain.
The kewahqu' came raging and roaring in a fury, but however he pursued
they were at the foot of the precipice before him.
There stood the Rabbit. He was holding up a very long pole; no pine was
ever longer. "Climb this," he said. And, as they climbed, it
lengthened, till they left it for the hill, and then scrambled up the
rocks. Then the kewahqu' came yelling and howling horribly. Seeing the
fugitives far above, he swarmed up the pole. With him, too, it grew,
and grew rapidly, till it seemed to be half a mile high. Now the
kewahqu' was no such sorcerer that he could fly; neither had he wings;
he must remain on the pole; and when he came to the top the young man
pushed it afar.
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