cheeks.

Frank glanced at the shore on either side. For a minute he had
entertained a thought of landing and walking back along the beach.
But there was no beach.

The river boiled along between narrow walls which shot sheer up from
the water. There was not even a niche in their smooth surface to
afford a foothold to a mountain goat. They were caught in a trap.

The only thing to do was to drift down the river and trust to luck
to find a landing-place. In their extremity they shouted at the top
of their voices to let their comrades know of their plight, but
their cries were unanswered and they began to wish that they had
saved their breath to use in the task of keeping the canoe steady in
the current.

While they had been pondering their situation, moreover, they had
been swept with almost incredible rapidity down the river. The
walls here grew narrower and narrower and the water fairly boiled in
its narrow confines. Its dark surface was flecked with white foam,
and to make matters worse, as the walls closed in the light became
fainter, till the boys were being carried downward through almost
subterranean darkness.

In the intense gloom their white strained faces shone out like
pallid beacon-lights.

"Hold her steady," said Frank in a tense voice as the canoe wobbled
crazily in the swollen current.