re," said Gunson, with his lips close to my ear, for the noise
of the rushing water was deafening, "if we do go over, make for that big
piece of rock below there, and try to climb up."

"Yes," I said rather breathlessly; "but tell Esau too."

"Oh no; there is no need," he said sarcastically. "Your companion is
too clever to want help."

Meanwhile we were being dragged slowly up and up against the fierce
current, and in and out among rocks, any one of which would have overset
the canoe; and as I looked forward and to right and left, where the
sides of the river were formed by precipices which ran up so high that
the trees growing here and there on the ledges looked quite small, I
felt a kind of shrinking sensation at my own insignificance, and turned
at last to see what effect all this had upon Esau.

He was seated holding on to the bottom of the canoe with all his might,
and staring at the threatening rocks with eyes and mouth wide open.

"Afraid?" I shouted in his ear.

"Not a bit," he replied; "but be ready for a swim if some of those rocks
up above don't tumble down and sink us."

And all the time the Indians dragged hard at the canoe, and with so much
success that they proceeded over some three hundred yards of rapid, and
then stopped where the water looked deep and glassy, and where it was
evident that they could wade no further.

Here, as they held the canoe fast to keep it from being swept back down
the rapids, one of the foremost swung himself in, took his paddle, and
began to use it with all his might. Then another sprang in on the other
side, and paddled hard to keep the canoe stationary, two still holding
tightly. Then the third leaped in, and the one still holding uttered a
hoarse cry, which made the others ply their paddles with all their
might, for it seemed as if the stream would be too strong for them.
Finally the fourth gave another cry, and his muscles stood out in the
sunshine on his forehead and neck, as he gave the boat a tremendous
thrust, swung himself in, and began to paddle rapidly.

The thrust he gave the boat sent it on a couple of yards, and then it
became stationary, with the water, which looked white and glassy, now
rushing by us, and threatening to drive the canoe on to the rocks just
behind, or else to capsize us, and sweep the party headlong down the
long water slope up which we had been so toilsomely drawn. And I
believe we should have been mastered, for what with three pa