rossed; the last
looked the more dangerous, but Alick got over and stood safely on the
bank. He then went up the stream some way, when Robin and Martin
crossed as they had done at the other places. I followed, with Bouncer
towing after me, though I had to put no small strain on the rope to
enable myself to get over.

Every moment I thought that it would give way, but it held fast, and
most thankful we were to find ourselves at length safe on the northern
bank of the river. We had kept our guns and ammunition dry, though of
course our lower garments were perfectly wet.

"My boys," said Alick, "we have reason every day to be thankful to God
for His watchful care over us, but especially now we should return
thanks for our preservation, for I tell you we have run a fearful risk
of losing our lives. We might have been all drowned together when the
canoe was destroyed, and at any moment in crossing above these rapids we
might have been carried off our feet and swept down them."

We all acknowledged the truth of his remarks, and together kneeling down
on the grass, we lifted up our voices in a prayer of thanksgiving. We
then hurried away to collect wood for a fire, that we might dry our
drenched clothes and consider what was next to be done.

"One thing is very clear," observed Alick, as we sat round the fire.
"We have no food, and being hungry the sooner we can get some the
better. Our way is down the stream, and we must set off as soon as
possible in that direction."

The sun and wind assisted the fire in drying our clothes, and we were
soon ready to commence our journey. We kept our eyes about us as we
went on, on the chance of any birds or animals appearing. Hunger, it is
truly said, makes keen sportsmen, and we should not have let a mouse
escape us if we had seen one. We kept close to the bank, and for a mile
or more the rapids continued, though we saw that on the opposite side a
canoe might descend without danger. Alick was constantly examining the
bank. "I thought so," he exclaimed, when we had got about half a mile
below the rapid. Running forward he picked up three of our paddles and
one of the spears. The others could not be far off, unless they had
struck in the crevice of a rock. This, perhaps, they had done, for we
could not find them.

Martin immediately took possession of the spear.

"I may still have a chance of killing a fish, if we come to any deep
little bay or bend of the river, where