CHAPTER V.


From the words the elder boatman rapidly addressed to the younger, it
was evident to Mr. Trenton that the half-breed was anxious to pass the
rapids before it became very much darker.

The landing is at the edge of comparatively still water. At the bottom
of the falls the river turns an acute angle and flows to the west. At
the landing it turns with equal abruptness, and flows south.

The short westward section of the river from the falls to the point
where they landed is a wild, turbulent rapid, in which no boat can live
for a moment. From the Point downwards, although the water is covered
with foam, only one dangerous place has to be passed. Toward that spot
the stalwart half-breeds bent all their energy in forcing the canoe down
with the current. The canoe shot over the darkening rapid with the speed
of an arrow. If but one or two persons had been in it, the chances are
the passage would have been made in safety. As it was one wrong turn of
the paddle by the younger half-breed did the mischief. The bottom barely
touched a sharp-pointed hidden rock, and in an instant the canoe was
slit open as with a knife.

As he sat there Trenton felt the cold water rise around him with a
quickness that prevented his doing anything, even if he had known what
to do.