ye here, old chap, you'd better take this
toothpick; it's the one that the boss of that party who stole our raft
lost."

"Ah!" cried the stranger; "they stole your raft?"

"They did, my son, and it seems to me things aren't at all square, for
these here fellows are ready to do anything--from committing murder down
to stealing a knife. Why, they've even cheated death, or else they'd be
lying comfortably buried in the snow."

"Ha!" ejaculated Dallas, as he stood grasping his pole, and the raft
began to glide along.

"Yes, it is `Hah!' my son," said the Cornishman; "but I shouldn't wonder
if we came across a tree some day bearing fruit at the end of a hempen
stalk. I say, though, my son, is the river below there so dangerous as
you say?"

"Yes; it is a horrible fall, as far as I could see."

"Then hadn't you better stop ashore?"

"And starve?" said the man bitterly.

"You're ready to risk it, then?" said Dallas.

"I'd risk anything rather than stop alone in this horrible solitude,"
said the stranger excitedly.

"All right, then, my son. There's a spare pole. Set your pack down;
take hold, and come on."

The stranger did as he was told, and took the place pointed out.

"If it's as noisy as he says," continued the Cornishman, "there'll be no
shouting orders--it'll all be signs. So what you see me do you've got
to follow. Spit in your hands, all of you, and hold tight with your
feet. Stick to it, and we'll get through. We must; there's no other
way."

No one spoke in reply, but their companion's cheery way of meeting the
perils ahead sent a thrill of confidence through the party, as they
stood on the triangular raft, noting that the current was gradually
growing swifter as the rocky walls on either side closed in from being
hundreds of yards apart to as many feet, and the distance lessening
rapidly more and more.

It was horrible, but grand, and as the pace increased, a curious
sensation of intoxicating excitement attacked the party, whose senses
seemed to be quickened so that they could note the wondrous colours of
the rocks, the vivid green of the ferns and herbs which clustered in the
rifts and cracks, and the glorious clearness of the water.

So excited was the great fellow at the head of the raft that he raised
his pole, turned to look at his companions, and then pointed onward,
while moment by moment the great walls of rock seemed to close in upon
them as if to crush all flat.

Up to now t