towards one of those rocky ridges which we have
described as being alternately covered and uncovered by the foam. On
the crest of a bulging cascade they were fortunately borne right over
this ridge, which next moment showed its black teeth, as if grinning at
the dire mischief it might have done if it had only chosen to bite!
Next instant the canoe overturned, and left the men to flounder to land,
while it went careering down towards the gravelly shallows below.

Now Karlsefin had anticipated this, and was prepared for it. In the
first place, he had caused the arms, etcetera, to be removed from
Thorward's canoe before it set out, saying that he would carry them up
in his canoe, so that his friend's might go light. Then, having his
vessel ready and manned, he at once pushed out and intercepted the other
canoe before it reached the gravelly shallows, where it would have been
much damaged, if not dashed to pieces.

"That is bad luck," observed Thorward, somewhat sulkily, as, after
swimming ashore, he wrung the water from his garments.

"Not worse than might have been expected on a first trial," said
Karlsefin, laughing. "Besides, that rascal Tyrker deceived me. Had I
known he was so bad, you should have had Krake."

Poor Tyrker, very much crestfallen, kept carefully away from the party,
and did not hear that remark.

"Now it is my turn," continued Karlsefin. "If we get up safely I will
send Heika down to take the bow of your canoe."

Karlsefin, as we said, was somewhat more expert than most of the men in
managing canoes, and Krake, besides having had more experience than many
of his fellows, had once before visited and ascended this rapid. They
therefore made the ascent almost as well as the Scots had done.

Arrived at the upper end, Hake and Heika were ordered to remove
everything out of their canoe, and, with a full crew, to run down to the
aid of their friends. Karlsefin himself went with them as one of the
crew, so that he might take the steering paddle when Heika should resign
it in order to act as Thorward's bowman. Thus manned, the second
attempt was crowned with success, and, not long afterwards the three
canoes swept into a smooth reach of the river above the rapids, and
proceeded on their way.

But a great deal of time had been lost in this way, and Karlsefin felt
that it must be made up for by renewed diligence and protracted labour.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES OF OLAF AND SNO