-mile above the
falls, and a slightly lesser distance below Imbrie's shack. It was
nearer his side of the river than the other; say, fifty yards of torn
white water lay between the drift-pile and the beach. To wade or swim
out was out of the question. On the other hand, the strongest flow of
water, the channel such as it was, set directly for the obstruction, and
it might be possible to drop down on it from above--if one provided some
means for getting back again. Stonor marked the position of every rock,
every reef above, and little by little made his plan.

He returned to the shack. In her present state of nerves he dared not
tell Clare of what he had found. In any case he might be mistaken in his
supposition as to the identity of the body. In that case she need never
be told. He was careful to present himself with a smooth face.

"Any news?" cried Clare eagerly. "You've been gone so long!"

He shook his head. "Anything here?"

"Nothing. I am ready to go now as soon as we have eaten."

Stonor, faced with the necessity of suddenly discovering some reason for
delaying their start, stroked his chin. "Have you slept?" he asked.

"How could I sleep?"

"I don't think you ought to start until you've had some sleep."

"I can sleep later."

"I need sleep too. And Mary."

"Of course! How selfish of me! We can start towards evening, then."

While Clare was setting the biscuits to the fire in the shack, and
Stonor was chopping wood outside, Mary came out for an armful of wood.
The opportunity of speaking to her privately was too good to be missed.

"Mary," said Stonor. "There's a dead body caught in the rapids below
here."

"Wah!" she cried, letting the wood fall. "You teenk it is _him_?"

"I don't know. I suppose so. I've got to find out."

"Find out? In the rapids? How you goin' find out? You get carry over the
falls!"

"Not so loud! I've got it all doped out. I'm taking no unnecessary
chances. But I'll need you to help me."

"I not help you," said Mary rebelliously. "I not help you drown
yourself--for a dead man. He's dead anyhow. If you go over the falls
what we do? What we do?"

"Easy! I told you I had a good plan. Wait and see what it is. Get her to
sleep this afternoon, and we'll try to pull it off before she wakes. Now
run on in, or she'll wonder what we're talking about. Don't show
anything in your face."

Mary's prime accomplishment lay in hiding her feelings. She picked up
her wood, and went sto