I caught this and passed it over a projection on the snag.
"Now, haul it out," commanded she; and as we pulled, she pushed, so that presently indeed we found that the end reached the edge of the limb on which we sat.

Without any concern, Mrs.McGovern stepped out on the swaying bridge, sunbonnet hanging down her back, her long rifle under one arm, while by the other hand she dragged her tall son, Andrew Jackson, who was blubbering in terror.
This bridge, however, proved insecure, for as Mandy gave Andrew Jackson a final yank at its farther end, the latter stumbled, and in his struggles to lay hold upon the snag, pushed the end of the planks off their support.

His mother's sinewy arm thrust him into safety, and she herself clambered up, very wet and very voluble in her imprecations on his clumsiness.
"Thar, now, look what ye did, ye low-down coward," she said.

"Like to 'a' drownded both of us, and left the gal back there on the boat!" The gang plank, confined by the rope, swung in the current alongside the snag, but it seemed useless to undertake to restore it to its position.
The girl cowered against the side of the deck opening, undecided.
"Wait," I called out to her; and slipping down into the water again, I waded as close as I could to the door, the water then catching me close to the shoulders.
"Jump!" I said to her, holding out my arms.
"I can't--I'm afraid," she said, in a voice hardly above a whisper.
"Do as I tell you!" I roared, in no gentle tones, I fear.

"Jump at once!" She stooped, and sprang, and as I caught her weight with my arms under hers, she was for the moment almost immersed; but I staggered backwards and managed to hold my footing till Auberry's arms reached us from the snag, up which we clambered, the girl dripping wet and catching her breath in terror.
"That's right," said Mandy McGovern, calmly, "now here we be, all of us.
Now, you men, git hold of this here rope an' haul up them boards, an' make a seat for us." Auberry and I found it difficult to execute this order, for the current of old Missouri, thrusting against so large an object, was incredibly strong; but at last, little by little edging the heavy staging up over the limb of the snag, we got its end upon another fork and so made a ticklish support, half in and half out of the water.
"That's better," said Mandy, climbing upon it.