and jagged rocks, splintered and riven, that dotted the patches of plain
from the shores of the river to the perpendicular walls of the canyon.

Bart needed no telling that these were the traces of floods, when,
instead of the bright silver rushing river, the waters came down from
the mountains hundreds of miles to the north, and the great canyon was
filled to its walls with a huge seething yellow flow, and in imagination
he thought of what the smiling emerald valley would be after such a
visitation.

But he had little time for thought, the chief making signs to the Doctor
to follow him, first laying down his rifle and signing to the Doctor to
do the same.

Dr Lascelles hesitated for a moment, and then did as the chief wished,
when the Beaver went on for a few yards to where the shelf of rock
seemed to end, and there was nothing but a sheer fall of a thousand feet
down to the stones and herbage at the bottom of the canyon, while above
towered up the mountain which seemed like a Titanic bastion round which
the river curved.

Without a moment's hesitation the chief turned his face to them, lowered
himself over the edge of the shelf down and down till only his hands
remained visible. Then he drew himself up till his face was above the
rock, and made a sign to the Doctor to come on.

"I dare not go, Bart," said the Doctor, whose face was covered with dew.
"Would you be afraid to follow him, my boy?"

"I should be afraid, sir," replied Bart laying down his rifle, "but I'll
go."

"No, no, I will not be such a coward," cried the Doctor; and going
boldly to the edge, he refrained from looking over, but turned and
lowered himself down, passing out of Bart's sight; and when the latter
crept to the edge and looked down, he could see a narrow ledge below
with climbing plants and luxuriant shrubs, but no sight of the Doctor or
his guide.

Bart remained motionless--horror-stricken as the thought came upon him
that they might have slipped and gone headlong into the chasm below; but
on glancing back he saw one of the Indians who was of the party smiling,
and evidently quite satisfied that nothing was wrong.

This being so, Bart remained gazing down into the canyon, listening
intently, and wondering whither the pair could have gone.

It was a most wonderful sight to look down at that lovely silver river
that flashed and sparkled and danced in the sunshine. In places where
there were deep, calm pools it looked intensely b