Part 26 (1/2)

”That's a fact,” added uncle dick ”No one seems to knohy these were called the Priest Rapids Perhaps because a priest read the burial service over soeurs here Perhaps because a priest was saved here, or drowned here--no one seems to know”

They had called a halt here while Leo and Moise walked up on the bank to reach a higher point of view The boys could see the out across the river Presently they joined the others

”She's too bad for ron this side,” said Moise, ”but over on other side, two-third way across, is place where h No can line on this side--rock, she coht down on the river”

”Well,” said Uncle dick, ”here is a pretty kettle of fish!+ I don't like the looks of this in the least I'h that rapid over there Are you sure you can't line down on this side?”

”No can walk,” said Leo, ”no can ron this side Other side only place for to go through She's pretty bad, butto let the boys try it,” said Uncle dick ”Now see here, young ot to do You see that point below there about two miles, where the forest coet around there so rock face the best you can, and come out on that point, and wait for us”

The boys looked at hio with you,”

asked John, presently, who did not in the least fancy the look of these dark woods and the heavy, frowning mountains that lay back of them Indeed, they all reflected that here they were many a day's march from Revelstoke, over a country practically io in the boats, boys, even if it were safe,” said Uncle dick ”We want theht as we can have them Go on now, and do as you are told This is a place where we all of us will have to take a chance, and now your time has come to take your chances, for it's the best that we can do Each of you take a little pack--one rifle will do for you, but each of you must have his ax andto eat--here, take all the bannocks we have cooked, and this little bit of flour When you get to the point et through you'll have to get on the best way you can”

”Why can't one of you go with us?” inquired John, still anxiously

”It wouldn't be right for the h water like that, my boy Go on, now I am sorry to send you off, but this is the best that we can do, so you ht, fellows,” said Rob; ”coet around there, I'ood boatmen that they are, will run that chute You're not afraid, are you, Leo?”

But if Leo heard hih hehis belt, in which Moise and all the others followed hi back before they were lost to view in the forest Thethem time to erous run of the rapids

It was perhaps an hour before the three young adventurers were able to clied slope which lay before them, and finally to descend a bad rock hich allowed the point which Uncle dick had pointed out to them, far below and at one side of the dreaded Priest Rapids Here they built their little fire of driftwood, as they had been instructed; and, cli up on another pile of drifthich was erly to look up-stream

”The worst waves are over on the other side,” said Rob, after a tihty little--that's the boats angling across from where we left them! It'll soon be over now, one way or the other”

They all stood looking anxiously ”They're out of sight!” exclaimed Rob And so, indeed, they were

”That's only the dip they've taken,” said Rob, after a ti now Look! _Look_ at the for a little time, and then all took off their hats and waved the on down, rising and falling, but growing larger and blacker every instant At last they could see the waves, and knew that they were through the end of the chute and practically safe

In a fewby their point, all the reetings which the boys shouted to the in sharply, and soon, bow up-strea but a few hundred yards belohere they stood Soon they were all united once reat!” said Uncle dick ”I'll warrant there was one swell there over fifteen feet high--maybe twenty, for all we could tell I know it reared up clear above us, so that you had to lean your head to see the top of it If we'd hit it would have been all over with us”

”She's bad ta men,” said Moise ”Froet in there--poo drowned, and ht-hearted, used to taking chances, diser once it was past

”Well, that's what I call good planning and good work,” said Rob, quietly, after a while ”To find the best thing to do and then to do it--that seeineer to work, isn't it, Uncle dick?”

”Yes, it is, and all's well that ends well,” colad I aain, and that you don't have to try to make your way alone and on foot froht of that”

”And eren't happy at all untilyou safely through that chute, either,” said Rob