"That incessant flare makes me shiver," said Robert. "It seems every
time that I'm going to be struck by it, but I'm glad it comes, because
without it we'd never see our way on the river."

"Manitou sends the good and evil together," said Tayoga gravely.

"Anyhow," said Willet, "I hope we'll get to our shelter before the rain
comes. Look out for that rock on the right, Robert!"

Young Lennox, with a swift and powerful motion of the paddle, shot the
canoe back toward the center of the river, and then the three tried to
hold it there as they sped on.

"Three or four hundred yards more," said Tayoga, "and we can draw into
the smooth water we wish."

"And not a minute too soon," said Willet. "It seems to me I can hear the
rain coming now in a deluge, and the waves on the river make me think of
some I've seen on one of the big lakes. Listen to that, will you!"

A huge tree, blown down, fell directly across the stream, not more than
twenty yards behind them. But the fierce and swollen waters tearing at
it in torrents would soon bear it away on the current.

"Manitou was watching over us then," said Tayoga with the same gravity.

"As sure as the Hudson runs into the sea, he was," said Willet in a tone
of reverence. "If that tree had hit us we and the canoe would all have
been smashed together and a week later maybe the French would have
fished our pieces out of the St. Lawrence."