PHANTOM FALLS. . 157 



downward to such a fearful leap; but will and 

 nerve could do it, only Heaven keep us from try- 

 ing it." 



" Amen," said John, " and yet there is no telling 

 what may happen to those who boat by day and 

 night up and down this wilderness as much as we 

 do ; and if you ever have to do it, Mr. Murray, steer 

 for that smooth water, and, as you love your life, 

 when on the brink, do as I have told you." 



" Well," said I, changing the subject, " if that 

 poor Indian girl did really come down the rapids, 

 she must have met her death under these falls." 



"Yes, that is why they call them Phantom 

 Falls," answered John. " An old trapper told me 

 once that he camped in the bend of the river there 

 one night, and as he was rebuilding his fire about 

 midnight, he saw a canoe and a white form rise 

 slowly out of the mist and go sailing up the rapids. 

 He was so frightened that he took boat and pad- 

 dled all night down stream tiU he reached the set- 

 tlement." 



" Well," said I, as we turned from the falls and 

 clambered up the bank, " to-night we wiU see if 

 the old story is true or not. Let us go to camp." 

 So saying we shouldered our boat and started for 

 the camp above. 



It might have been eleven o'clock when, taking 

 up our paddles, we stepped into our boat and 

 pushed off into the lake. We took our position in 



