floating under the shelter of the
black-headed rock, and the Indians rested while they surveyed the
battleground yet before them.

The next reach carried them right across the river to a place where a
long bend produced a considerable sweep of eddying water, up which they
paddled easily. Above this, one or two short bursts into the tails
caused by nearly sunken rocks brought them to a point full half-way up
the rapid. But now greater caution was needed, because anything like a
miss would send them downward, and might hurl them with destructive
force against the rocks and ledges which they had already passed. A
birch-bark canoe is an exceedingly tender craft, which is not only
certain of destruction if it strikes a rock, but is pretty sure of being
swamped if it even grazes one.

With the utmost care, therefore, and consummate skill, they succeeded in
pushing up the rapid, inch by inch, without mishap, until they reached
the last shoot, when their skill or good fortune, or whatever it was,
failed them, for they missed the last eddy, were swept downwards a few
yards, and just touched a rock. It was a very slight touch. A boatman
would have smiled at it; nevertheless it drew from the Indians "ho's!"
and "hoi's!" such as they had not given vent to since the voyage began.
At the same time they rushed the canoe, with all their strength, for the
nearest point of land.

They were scarcely a minute in reaching it, yet in that brief space of
time their craft had almost sunk, a large piece of the bark having been
torn from its side.

The instant they touched land the two leaders stepped quickly out, and,
while they held the craft close to the bank, their comrades threw out
the bundles of fur as fast as possible. Then the canoe was turned over
to empty it, and carried up the bank.

"That is good luck," said Mozwa quietly, as they stood looking at the
large hole in the canoe.

"I have seen better luck," remarked Nazinred, with something that might
almost have been mistaken for a smile on his grave countenance.

Mozwa did not explain. Nazinred knew that the luck referred to was the
fact that before the accident occurred they had surmounted all the
difficulties of the rapid, and that the place on which they stood was
convenient for camping on, as well as for opening out and drying the
furs on the following day. And Mozwa knew that Nazinred knew all that.

While the latter kindled a fire, arranged the camp, and prepare