My wife and I dragged and our chocolate
lab Bart cheerfully romped into the spot
where we would stop our backpack trip

for the evening. We passed a bend in
the river and Bart made for it as soon
as our packs touched down. No sooner

was he in the river after jumping off
the steep bank than he was caught in
the branches and going down fast, when

out of nowhere came two angels around
that bend in a canoe. Even before we
shouted they paddled for the dog, grab-

bed him, disentangled him and held him
high by the collar while we made it down
the bank and grabbed him. By the time

we made it back up the bank the angels
flew around the bend and out of sight.
I asked, “Was that the Lone Ranger and

Tonto?” My wife said, “No, they would
have been on horses.” We felt a new
rush of energy while the dog fell

exhausted at our feet. He wouldn’t
be helping to put up the tent or
cook dinner.