ack; "that is, if this descent
continues."

They found, however, a few minutes later, that it did not continue, but
began to increase, until they were fully as elevated above the bottom of
the gorge as at the point where they had leaped it. The width also
varied continually, sometimes being only three or four feet, while in
others it expanded to nearly ten times that extent. They did not pause
to look over the margin again, for their aim was to reach the place
referred to by their friend.

At the moment when they began to wonder whether a mistake had not been
made they came upon the break. Both banks sloped downward so abruptly
that it would have been laborious for the two to work their way to the
bottom, or from the bottom to the top, though the masses of boulders,
with the tough pines growing almost the whole distance, offered secure
foothold.

The picture was an interesting one. At the point where the stream issued
from the canyon, its width was about twenty yards. It flowed swiftly,
but quickly slackened its pace, since its expansion was fully a hundred
feet. This flowed for probably double that distance, when the high banks
again appeared, and what may be called the regular canyon was resumed.

Jack and Fred sat down to survey the curious picture. They noticed that
the canyon seemed to be dotted at intervals with rocks, some of which
rose to a considerable height above the current. Many were near one side
or the other, while others were in the middle of the swift stream, which
dashed against them with a violence that threw the spray and foam high
in air. It was easy to believe that Hank Hazletine had made his way up
the canyon by leaping from rock to rock, with little more result than
the wetting of his shoes.

"It might be done in the daytime," said Jack, "but I should not want to
try it at night."

"The water must be very deep in many places; and flows so fast that the
strongest swimmer couldn't help himself. I should prefer to climb the
wall, as Hank did."

"But that would be dangerous in the darkness."

"The best thing we can do is to do neither," observed Fred, with a
laugh. "I have a good deal of curiosity to know what led Hank to pick
his way up the canyon, but I haven't enough to lead me to follow
him----"

Jack Dudley suddenly gripped the arm of his friend and drew him back
from the boulder on which they had been sitting. Fred nearly lost his
balance, and did not know what to make of the procee