rked along the Big Bend of the
Columbia. When we engineers have all done our work it will be easier
to get in here than it is to-day."

"Well, I'm going to be an engineer some day," said Rob, firmly, once
more. "I like this work."

"Well, you're all going to bed now at once," said Uncle Dick. "We must
hurry on down to-morrow, for, unless I am mistaken, this roily water
of the Canoe means that the spring rise has begun earlier than it
should."

XXVI

DOWN THE COLUMBIA

They did hurry to embark on the next morning, and, as Uncle Dick had
predicted, for many miles the river was much more mild, although the
current was steady and strong. They had run perhaps four hours when
they came to the mouth of a creek which Leo and George said was called
either Nagel Creek or End Creek, they did not know which. They went
ashore for a time at a little unfinished log cabin which had been
started perhaps two years before by some unknown person or persons.

"That way," said Leo, "up creek ten mile, fine bear country; plenty
caribou too. S'pose we hunt?"

"Certainly not," said Uncle Dick. "It would take us a day to hunt and
another day to get back. What do you say about that, boys?"

"Well," said Rob, "of course we'd like to hunt a little more, but I
don't myself much like the thought of walking out of this country with
a pack on my back and nothing to eat but a little flour. Besides, I've
a feeling that this river is rising all the time now."

"She'll rise five inch last night," said Moise. "I'll mark heem on the
stick."

"Yes," said Uncle Dick, "the June rise is going to chase us out,
that's sure. All those great snow-fields which you see up there on the
Selkirks and the Rockies have got to melt and come right down here
where our boat is now. So, Leo, you and George go on ahead--we'll run
late to-night and make forty miles to-day, at least, if we can. How
far are we from Revelstoke?"

"S'pose 'bout hunderd mile," said Leo. "Long way."

"Not long if it was all clear water like this. But it isn't. A
pack-train on an unknown trail is one thing, but a boat on an unknown
river is something mighty different. As I've told you, every foot of
rise changes the river absolutely in the narrows. Therefore all I can
allow you for lunch to-day is a piece of bannock--and we'll eat that
as we run."

They found milder water now for twenty-five miles, and made steady
progress. The wind had shifted a little bit, and Rob managed to