DOWN THE SWIFT RAPIDS.
"Sounds pretty wild ahead there!" bawled Jimmy, a couple of hours later.
He happened to be in the leading canoe at the time, along with the Cree
Indian guide, Tamasjo, and also Frank Shaw. Ned and Jack paddled the
second boat, and did it splendidly, too, for they had had considerable
practice at this sort of thing, so that as Ned expressed it, both had
"caught the hang of it." In the rear were the other two, Francois, and
Teddy Green, the ambitious explorer of unknown lands.
All this time they had seen nothing in any quarter to indicate that
there was a living human being in all that far-off country. Now and then
they had glimpsed herds of caribou peacefully feeding where the grass
grew most luxuriantly, or else like the reindeer of Lapland browsing off
the Arctic moss that clung to the rocks in myriads of places, and
contained the nourishment required. Birds were scarce, though in some
places they had come upon countless numbers of ducks, geese and swan
that seek these distant regions in summer to breed.
The others had possibly noticed that increasing murmur in the near
distance, indicating the presence of a roaring cataract, even if they
had not called attention to the same.
The Indian, seeing that the scouts would very likely want to hold a
conference, dallied with his paddle, and Frank, who sat in the bow of
the boat, followed suit. He did not altogether like the sound of that as
yet unseen rough place in the river that flowed northward toward Hudson
Bay; and felt that before trusting themselves in its clutch they should
talk it over, getting what pointers they could from the two guides.
Accordingly the three canoes drifted along on the rather swift current,
while those in them talked. From time to time the paddlers would delay
their progress by well known means, so that they might not be carried on
at too fast a pace, and find themselves in the surge of the rapids
before their plans were fully matured.
"I bet you that one beats any we've struck yet, if sound goes for much!"
Jimmy gave as his opinion.
"No question about that," added Jack.
"It sure makes a heap of noise," Teddy declared.
"And I can imagine the whitecaps jumping like crazy things as the
current hits up against the sharp-pointed snags and rocks that stick up
like horns all over!" Frank went on to say.
"Still, there are few rapids that don't have a safe channel through the
worst places," Ned told them; "anyway, I've never seen one that didn't.
How about that, Francois; you've been through here, you say, and in a
canoe?"
"Twice, sare," came the answer.
"And didn't meet with an accident either time, I warrant," Jack avowed,
confidently.
"Nevaire!" replied the guide, positively.
"And like as not, when you took the first plunge you had never seen the
rapids before, Francois?" continued Ned, striving to reach a point he
wanted to make.
"It was the first time I haf ever set eyes on ze same, as you say,
sare."
"You just used your gumption, and tackled the job as you would any other
rapids, depending on your quick eye, a firm wrist with the paddle, and
general good sense, wasn't that it, Francois?" Ned asked him.
"I get through easy, but zere was a warm time of it," the other
answered, shaking his head at the remembrance of difficulties overcome.
"Well, if you could pass through safely without ever having seen the
rapids before it was much easier the second time, eh?" ventured the
patrol leader.
"Oh! mooch easier, that time," the guide assured him.
"And now it's likely to become a habit with you," Ned remarked,
smilingly. "Guess we needn't bother any great shakes, boys. Francois
will take the lead, and Jack and myself bring up the rear."
"That leaves me in the middle, don't it?" asked Jimmy.
"Just what it does," Ned told him.
"You wouldn't think for a minute we'd allow you to lead, or much less
come trailing along as the wind-up of the crowd," jeered Jack. "Chances
are you'll be up to your old tricks again, and tumbling overboard. I've
got the boathook ready to lay hold of you if that happens."
"For goodness sake, Jimmy, make up your mind to sit still and get
through one of these husky rapids with a dry jacket," pleaded Teddy.
"Yes," added Frank, who, it may be remembered, was in the same boat with
Jimmy; "you might upset us all if you get to wiggling around, or trying
any of your silly pranks while we're in the middle of the push. And
think of what we'd lose if an accident like that happened."
"You've got all the self-raising flour in your tub, Jimmy," Teddy
continued, as a clinching argument; "and if that goes, good-bye to any
more flapjacks while we're up around the Hudson Bay country."
"Hadn't you better transfer that stuff to one of the other boats, and
give us something that won't spoil if it gets wet?" Jimmy had the
impudence to suggest; at which Ned shook his finger at him, and, looking
as severe as he could, went on to lay down the law, as he had a perfect
right to do, being Jimmy's superior in the patrol; and besides, using
the other as an assistant in his work for the Government.
"Unless you give me your solemn promise to reform, and sit as still as
anything in that canoe, I'm going to have a halt called, and tie you in
so you can't move. The only trouble is that if the boat does go over
after all, you'd surely drown like a musk rat in a trap. Do you get that
straight, Jimmy?"
Apparently the lively scout realized that his chums would not put up
with any further pranks, especially when danger menaced them, as it
always did at times when cataracts had to be negotiated. He threw up
both hands in token of absolute surrender.
"I promise you on my word of honor as a true scout, Ned, not to budge
an inch as long as the bally old boat stays on its keel. 'Course if
Tamasjo pitches me out you'll let me swim for it, and get hold of your
gunnel, won't you?"
"That's what we would expect you to do," Ned told him. "On the whole, as
this rapid is much worse than anything we've tackled up to now, I reckon
we'd better run into shore for a short stay, while we overhaul our
cargoes, and make sure everything is tied fast to the supports of the
canoes."
"Good idea," grunted Frank. "I believe in locking the door while you've
still got the horse. Lots of folks wait till the animal has been stolen,
and then wake up to the necessity of putting up the bars."
Accordingly, they landed near by on a promising point. Here they busied
themselves for some time minutely examining the way in which guns,
provisions, blankets, tents, cooking utensils, and all other things
going to make up the cargo of the three canoes was secured.
Of course they hardly anticipated an upset, but did this only as a sort
of insurance, just as a man takes out a fire risk on his house, though
never fancying for a single minute that it is going to go up in flames
and smoke.
After that the start was made. Francois paddled along in the lead, with
Teddy holding a position in the bow, for Teddy had learned to swing a
paddle fairly well on this trip. Of course, the one who sat in the stern
manipulated things as he wished, being the controlling power. Teddy's
duties would for the most part be to fend off from threatening rocks.
It was intended that the other boats should follow close enough to give
their pilots a chance to profit by the knowledge Francois had of the
currents and most dangerous places. At the same time, they must not come
within a certain distance lest they foul each other.
Faster and faster did the swift current bear them on its bosom. They
could now see it surging on toward the abrupt bend, around which the
dangerous rapid lay.
Every fellow shut his teeth hard together. Sleeves had been rolled up,
so that nothing might interfere with the heavy work ahead of them.
Jimmy was the soul watcher, he alone having no part in making that
perilous passage of the cataract. Gripping the two sides of the canoe,
as he squatted amidships, Jimmy stared with bulging eyes as the bend was
turned, and he could see that foamy track ahead. All of the way across
the river the ugly jagged rocks thrust their sharp points above the
surface of the swift water, and for a distance of nearly a quarter of a
mile it seemed as though only by a miracle could a frail canoe safely
pass among these evil genii of the rapids.
But a careful and practiced eye could pick out an avenue of
comparatively smooth water that ran from top to bottom of the rapid. It
often curved sharply, so that it made a very irregular line. Quick
action would be necessary in many instances, so as to avoid contact with
some snag that lay in wait for a victim.
Francois went boldly in. He sat there like a carved statue, only that
the upper part of his body was in constant action, as he drove his
magical blade deeply into the water, and caused the canoe to obey his
dominant will as he pleased.
After him came the bronzed Cree Indian guide, copying every movement of
the other, much as Japanese workman would a design given into his hands
to duplicate even to the minutest detail.
It was a glorious dash, and one the scouts would certainly never forget.
Their blood leaped madly in their veins as they saw the tumbling,
boiling water all about them, acting as though fairly wild to get them
in its power.
Several times Ned and Jack found themselves put to their best efforts in
order to stem the tide, and keep from meeting with shipwreck.
Fortunately, their muscles were sound, and their heads clear, so that in
every instance they recovered the advantage almost lost. When the foot
of the cataract was reached nothing of a serious nature had happened,
though all of the boys who had taken part in the labor of fighting the
erratic current of the river were breathing heavily.
"Hurrah! that's the time we did it!" shouted Jimmy, apparently as proud
as if he had handled a paddle himself; nor did any of the others
begrudge him that slight satisfaction, since the glory was big enough to
go around.
Ned gave the signal for a halt here.
"We want to rest up a bit," he explained; "and besides, didn't you hear
Francois say that there were some dandy trout and grayling hanging about
here at the foot of the rapids? Seems to me I'd like a mess for dinner
to-day. Any objections?"
Not a single contrary word was heard, and apparently all of them were of
the same mind. So they put in toward the shore again, Francois leading
the way, since he had been here before, and "knew the ropes."
Tackle was soon made ready. Ned had even fetched a jointed rod along,
for he liked to fish in a thoroughly sportsmanlike way, when the game
was as royal in its nature as these big trout of the Canadian rivers.
Grayling he had never caught, though told that they even exceed trout in
desperate fighting tactics.
The fun soon became fast and furious, for there were plenty of fish, and
the conditions seemed just right for them to jump at every sort of lure,
from an artificial fly to a copy of an insect, or a phantom minnow such
as Jimmy usually patronized, he not being equal to handling a fly rod
with dexterity.
They soon had all the fish they could use. Ned continued the sport,
because he was using his fly rod, and really did not injure the captures
he made, so that he could toss them back after having had the fun of
playing them, and seeing the desperate efforts the captives made to
break away.
In the end, Ned had the luck to strike a good-sized grayling, that,
making for a smaller rapid just below, gave the young sportsman all the
excitement he could hope for before allowing itself to be netted. They
all admired its build, and, as it was the only one of its kind taken
just then, they decided to keep it, so as to say they had eaten
grayling.
The interrupted voyage was thereupon resumed, and a while later they
landed once more to cook a meal; for somehow all declared themselves
hungry for trout, and Francois had admitted that one of the best camping
places along the lower river invited them.
Jimmy, having had nothing else to do while they navigated the stream had
amused himself preparing the catch for the frying pan. Nobody objected
in the least; for although every scout dearly loved to eat trout, none
of them ever seemed particularly anxious to clean the fish. Consequently
that duty generally devolved upon good-natured Jimmy, who could be
easily duped into believing that it was a high honor they were according
him in allowing this privilege.
Ned, after halting by his canoe to attend to some little thing that
happened to catch his attention, and which needed fixing, sauntered up
the bank to find a fire had already been started by the guides.
"How is this, Francois, that you chose a place to make your fire that
looks as if it might be second-best? According to my notion, over yonder
is an ideal site for cooking fire."
When Ned said this the French-Canadian voyageur looked up and nodded.
"Eet is surely as you say heem be, but when I deescover zat zere haf
been a pig party stop here mebbe last night, I tink you might vant me to
look closer, and see vat ze signs say."
From his manner Ned understood that somehow Francois scented danger
because of the presence of these men in this region. They might of
course only prove to be miners sent up here by the syndicate that had
obtained the right to the new mining region said to exceed in richness
the famous Mesauba country. On the other hand, it was possible that they
were minions of unscrupulous capitalists, sent here to block any effort
on the part of the scouts to learn the truth with regard to the nature
of the great fraud, if the claim put up to Mr. Bosworth proved to be
such.
And Ned knew that the guide had acted wisely in leaving the cold ashes
alone.