“We’ll never make it!” the optimistic Sandy was shaken from his cheeriness by Dick’s desperate resolve.
“We’ve got to!” shouted Dick, as with one strong stroke of his paddle he swerved the canoe head on with the current, and they sped straight toward the gorge.
At the maneuver they heard an angry shout from the shore that had been their destination. Even at that distance they could detect the menace in that cry, and with added zeal they bent to their paddles.
Then a rifle cracked and a ball whistled across the water behind them. Another and another shot was fired while they sped on swifter and swifter.
“We’re getting out of range!” Dick cried.
“They’re poor marksmen, anyhow,” Dick returned.
They both fell silent as they left one danger behind, only to face one almost as threatening.
The river swiftly narrowed and deepened as they swept down between the high walls of the gorge. A sullen roar of the water against the numerous rocks and against the solid walls could be heard. The canoe seemed to shoot ahead like a leaf on the wind. Louder and louder grew the sound of rushing water. Then the boys saw the first wave of foam and spray where the water whirled among several huge boulders.
Sandy was in the bow, Dick in the stern when they struck the first angry whirlpool.
“Use your paddle to push off the rocks,” shouted Dick above the rumble of the water.
They scudded past a huge, wet boulder, seemed almost flung against another, only to be whisked into a deep pool where it was all Dick and Sandy could do to keep the canoe from turning clear around. Out of the pool, they danced on once more. The rapids were clear of rocks for a space, but they were moving so fast that it seemed no time before they reached a giant buttress of stone that seemed to bar the way.
“Push off,” cried Dick. “I’ll backwater. Heave now. Here we go!”
They shaved the bluff so closely that the grind of the canoe upon the rock could be heard. The dash of water against the cliff showered down upon them, and the canoe took in a bucketful.
“Dip the water out!” shouted Dick, while they spun into another deep pool, the cliff behind them.
Sandy began frantically bailing out the water with his hat, while Dick desperately held the canoe bow against the current.