ands heartily with each of the men in turn, and then uttered a
sigh of relief as he took his place at the tiller again.

"Look here, sir," he said: "I don't see that we need go on flying
through the water like this. We're out of danger, and it seems to me
that we've only got to keep a sharp look-out to see when the current
changes and keep clear of it."

"Yes," said Brace; "I think we might slacken sail a little now. We seem
to have got right out of the surface current leading to the falls."

"We'd no right to go sailing up so close to where the water comes over
the rocks. That's where we were wrong in the first place," remarked the
second mate.

"Yes," said Briscoe; "but it was a wonderfully interesting experience."

"That's what you call it, sir," said Lynton rather gruffly, "and I
suppose you're right; but it's rather too expensive a game for me. It
was experience though, and like a lesson, for I feel now as if I could
navigate these waters without getting into trouble again. How do you
feel about going right across now and landing?"

"I think we ought to," said Briscoe. "Why can't we go close in and then
sail up as near as it seems safe before landing? After that we might
shoulder our guns and see if we can climb up level with the top of the
falls."

"Yes, let's try that," said Brace. "It would be most interesting."

Lynton steered the boat close in to the shore and kept her sailing along
at only a few yards' distance until they arrived at a spot which looked
favourable for landing.

Brace and Briscoe gave a sharp look round and then the little party
landed, and, after leaving the boat-keepers with orders to fire by way
of alarm if they saw any sign of Indians, Brace led off to climb a long
rocky slope, which proved to be perfectly practicable for a boat to be
drawn up on rollers, and soon after they were standing gazing to their
right at the top of the falls, while away to their left in a smooth
gliding reach there were the upper waters of the river winding away
through beautiful park-like woodlands as far as the eye could see.

"Splendid!" cried Lynton. "I should just like a mile of this to rig up
my house and retire from business. I say, what's he looking for?"

This was to draw Brace's attention to Briscoe, who had gone forward to
descend to a little sandy nook by the water-side, where he was raking
about with a stick.

"Looking for something, I suppose--to see if he can find precious ston