's Cauldron. Here the river seemed to rise almost between
cliffs, and the water boiled up on all sides. They rushed down what was
practically a cascade, broken here and there by jagged rocks. Mr.
Waterman steered the canoe most skillfully and they emerged at last on
the smoother reaches below. Once more they turned around and Bob could
hardly believe that he had come through such a swirl of waters in their
frail canoe. Just then the other came into view. It was most exciting to
watch it dart from wave to wave, shooting now like an arrow and then
stopping in its course as if held back by invisible hands. Pierre sat in
the stern and wielded the paddle just as calmly and nonchalantly as if
they were paddling across a pond. His hand seemed sure, and the canoe
came through like a swallow on the wing.

"Some sport," yelled Pud, as they drifted past.

"You bet my life," said Pierre. "Dat is ze grand sport. 'Dat is ze
life,' as my fren, Monsieur Waterman, sing."

"That was the most exciting time I have ever had," laughed Bob, as they
ranged alongside and paddled on together.

"That is the worst we'll find on the river," said Mr. Waterman.

"We'll hit two or three more short stretches that will keep us busy."

On they went and before the sun was low in the sky they had gone over
fifty miles.

"It's hard to believe that we have gone so far to-day," said Bob.

"The water is fairly high now," said Mr. Waterman. "That makes the river
run fast, and it is easy to cover distance under such circumstances."

"It's been the best day that I have ever spent," declared Bob, as they
stepped out of the canoe on a fine sandy beach, where they were going to
spend the night.

"I've enjoyed every minute of it," said Mr. Waterman. "Fast water makes
very fascinating sport. It's the danger, I suppose."

"It's dangerous, all right," said Bob. "If we had been tipped over going
down that Devil's Cauldron, it would have been five to one against our
ever getting out."

"It would have been a hundred to one," replied Mr. Waterman. "At the
same time, if no accident occurs, one should come through all right if
one knows how to handle a canoe. I have been tipped over three or four
times in all my life, and generally the accident was due to my own
carelessness."

They spent another happy night around the fire, with Pierre telling them
more of his experiences.

"It is only on small trips like this that one can get Pierre to talk,"
said Mr. Water