Part 25 (1/2)
In spite of their utmost efforts they continued to float down inch by inch
Which was the proper channel? It was a puzzling proble life and death There was no time for consideration, and under the circumstances Guy adopted the only possible course
”Head the canoe straight for the center of the rock and let her drift,”
he cried ”The current shall decide for us”
This was instantly done and they drifted with perfect accuracy straight for the splitting point in the strea against the rocks and upset, but as the canoe reached the turning-point it tre into the channel to the right
”A good oht
This must be the proper channel”
It was a very narrow channel, at all events, and a very swift one, too, for the rocky walls on either side were alh to touch with the paddles, and they wereat a dizzy rate of speed
”There are rapids below us,” said Forbes ”I can hear the was unusually acute, for as yet the rest could hear nothing, but in a few seconds the distant roar was audible to all, and it grew orasped the sides of the canoe in anxious suspense--for it was useless to paddle--and the angry waters were alht, when Sir Arthur dropped his torch, and instantly they were plunged in total darkness
No tiht The sullen crash of the waters drowned the sound of their voices, and the canoe blindly took its own course and they felt the chill spray spattering their faces
”bu and crashi+ng on loose rocks, and then with one terrific lurch, that sent the subsided and the choppy waves smacked the bottom of the canoe
With soht revealed a strange condition of things
No shore was visible on either side, and overhead was e roof that always ,” cried the colonel in astonish his hand in the water all doubt was instantly removed The canoe was stationary
They paddled on to the right, to the left, in every direction, but the dark water lay calish on all sides
”We are on a lake,” said Guy ”There is no doubt of it; a vast underground lake”
”There h,” replied Melton
”All we need do is to paddle across and find it”
”But which is the proper side?” said Canaris ”Are we headed straight now?”
”By Jove, I don't believe we are,” replied Guy ”I'm afraid we are completely mixed up We will paddle until we reach the shore, and then follow it till we come to the outlet”
”Yes, that will do very well,” said the colonel ”The lake cannot be so very large I e had time to complete a survey of it I should like to raphical Society”
”I wish the honorable e places with us,” said Sir Arthur, with a groan ”I have no doubt some of those lunatics would enjoy this beastly hole There is no accounting for taste, Carrington”