explain matters would be to go and
ascend while we look on and learn a lesson through our eyes?"

"I am ready," was the youth's brief reply; for he was a little hurt by
the seaman's tone and manner.

"Thorward is right, Hake," said Karlsefin. "Go, take your own canoe up.
We will watch you from this spot, and follow if all goes well."

The young Scot at once sprang down the bank, and in a few minutes his
canoe with its six men, and Heika steering, shot out from the bank
towards the rapid.

All tendency to jest forsook Thorward as he stood beside his friend on
the cliff with compressed lips and frowning brow, gazing upon the
cork-like vessel which danced upon the troubled waters. In a minute it
was at the foot of the broken water. Then Heika's voice rose above the
roar of the stream, as he gave a shout and urged on his men. The canoe
sprang into the boiling flood. It appeared to remain stationary, while
the men struggled might and main.

"'Tis too strong for them!" cried Thorward, becoming excited.

"No; they advance!" said Karlsefin in a deep, earnest tone.

This was true, but their progress was very small. Gradually they
overcame the power of the stream and shot into the first eddy, amid the
cheers of their comrades on shore. Here they waited only a moment or
two, and then made a dash for the second eddy. There was a shout of
disappointment from the men, because they swept down so fast that it
seemed as if all the distance gained had been lost; but suddenly the
canoe was caught by the extreme tail of the eddy, the downward motion of
its bow was stopped, it was turned straight upstream, and they paddled
easily towards the second rock. Another brief pause was made here, and
then a dash was made for the eddy below the large rock. This was more
easily gained, but the turbulence of the water was so great that there
was much more danger in crossing from one eddy to the other than there
had been before.

Under the large rock they rested for a few minutes, and then, dashing
out into the rapid, renewed the struggle. Thus, yard by yard, taking
advantage of every available rock and eddy, they surmounted the
difficulty and landed at the head of the rapids, where they waved their
caps to their friends below.

"It's Krake that wishes he was there!" observed that worthy, wiping the
perspiration from his brow and drawing a long deep breath; for the mere
sight of the struggle had excited him almost as much as if he