" said Rob, "you can't get a boat that looks too big for me in
here. Look over there at that water--where would any canoe be out
there?"

Thus, with very little actual running, and with the boys on foot all
the way, they went on until at length they heard coming up from below
them the roar of a rapid which sounded especially threatening.

"Priest Rapids!" said Leo. "And he's bad this time too."

"Why do they call this the Priest Rapids, Leo?" inquired Rob.

"I don' know," said Leo.

"That's a fact," added uncle Dick. "No one seems to know why these
were called the Priest Rapids. Perhaps because a priest read the
burial service over some of the voyageurs here. Perhaps because a
priest was saved here, or drowned here--no one seems to know."

They had called a halt here while Leo and Moise walked up on the bank
to reach a higher point of view. The boys could see them now,
gesticulating and pointing out across the river. Presently they joined
the others.

"She's too bad for ron this side," said Moise, "but over on other
side, two-third way across, is place where mans can get through. No
can line on this side--rock, she come straight down on the river."

"Well," said Uncle Dick, "here is a pretty kettle of fish! I don't
like the looks of this in the least. I'm not going to try to take
these boys through that rapid over there. Are you sure you can't line
down on this side?"

"No can walk," said Leo, "no can ron this side. Other side only place
for to go through. She's pretty bad, but maybe-so make 'um."

"Well, I'm not going to let the boys try it," said Uncle Dick. "Now
see here, young men, I'll tell you what you have got to do. You see
that point below there about two miles, where the forest comes out?
Very well; you'll have to get around there somehow. Go back of that
shelving rock face the best you can, and come out on that point, and
wait for us."

The boys looked at him rather soberly. "Why can't we go with you,"
asked John, presently, who did not in the least fancy the look of
these dark woods and the heavy, frowning mountains that lay back of
them. Indeed, they all reflected that here they were many a day's
march from Revelstoke, over a country practically impassable.

"You couldn't go in the boats, boys, even if it were safe," said Uncle
Dick. "We want them light as we can have them. Go on now, and do as
you are told. This is a place where we all of us will have to take a
chance, and now your time has