PHANTOM FALLS. 155 



lock, tliere is a large whirlpool. "We will strike it 

 to the right, and when exactly abreast of the tree 

 we must jump our boat with one stroke under cover 

 of the bank. Do you understand ? " 



" Perfectly," replied I. 



" Eeady, then," said John. " Steady as you are. 



Noiv r 



At the word " Now ! " we lifted our paddles and 

 glanced like an arrow down the slope. 



Three times that day we ran the rapids, and 

 each time without a mishap. Indeed, it was not a 

 difficult matter, as the water was very high ; and as 

 soon as we got accustomed to tJie extreme swift- 

 ness of the motion, we found no difficulty at 

 all in handling our boat. The most trying spot 

 was where we had to run out of the current, to do 

 which it was necessary that the stroke of our pad- 

 dles should be as one, and made with our united 

 strength. 



" There," said John, as for the third time we ran 

 under the bank, " I am not afraid to run these 

 rapids night or day, even if chased by a ghost. 

 Come, let us go and see the falls." 



Forcing our way through the underbrush, we 

 clambered down the bank, and, walking out upon 

 the shelving rock, stood where the mist and spray 

 fell on us. The falls were some twenty-five feet 

 high, perpendicular as the face of a wall. The edge 

 of the rock over which the water rushed must have 



