are, as a false step
would mean a bad fall and perhaps the smashing of the canoe. The only
other alternative, besides the water, was to make a long detour through
the off-lying fields, with loss of time.

Tom and Bob guided their craft swiftly in to land and proceeded to drag
it ashore, as the Ellison boys had done. The Warren brothers followed,
and Jack Harvey was turning his canoe in the same direction when a word
from his companion caused him to cease paddling.

"Jack," said Henry Burns, "I think we could make the rapids. What do you
say? If we win out, we may be in time to call the Ellison fellows back."

It was a rule of the race that, if a canoe succeeded in ascending any
difficult place in the stream, the successful pair was entitled to call
back any of the other canoes that were still carrying around the place,
and make them do likewise. If, however, any of the canoeists had made
the carry completely, and had launched their craft above, they could not
be called back.

The Ellison brothers were about half way up the carry at this time.

"I don't think we could do it, Henry," answered Harvey, to the other's
suggestion. "We could get part of the way up, all right, but the last
few rods are too steep."

He pointed, as he spoke, to the upper incline of the rapids, which was,
indeed, much sharper than the first of the ascent, bending over from the
higher level of the stream abruptly, like a sheet of rounded, polished
ebony; flowing smoothly but with great swiftness; then broken here and
there below with rocks, sharp and jagged, and foaming threateningly as
it whirled past them.

"I think we can do it, Jack," insisted Henry Burns, quietly. "I remember
the place. The water was a little higher when we came through in the
rain; but we ran these rapids, and don't you remember, half way down
that steepest part, we thought we were going to hit a sunken ledge--just
to the right of the middle of the slope?"

"Why, yes, seems to me I do," replied Harvey, gazing ahead. "But I
didn't care much what we hit that evening, I was so wet and tired."

"Well, look now," continued Henry Burns. "You can see the water whirling
at that very spot. The ledge doesn't show above water, but it's there.
What's the matter with working up to that, hanging on it till we get
rested, and then make one quick push up over the top?"

"Oh, well," said Harvey, "I'm game. You seem to guess things right.
We'll try it, anyway."

They pushed on int