96 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
He wanted Ted to go ahead with him, I guess, as a sort 
of sample." 
Much as to say we're going to be sold." 
" Not by a good deal ! We'll keep our eyes open, and 
let 'em have a taste of Winchester sauce if they come any 
shines on us. Hullo, here's the outlet." 
The rushing of waters could plainly be heard, and pres- 
ently the raft shot down the narrow channel, where the 
banks were steeper than they had yet seen them. The 
rapids were rougher than before, but there was a much 
greater volume of w^ater than in the upper courses, and 
they suffered no greater disaster than an occasional bump, 
which would nearly upset them all. 
One grave obstacle which had to be constantly avoided 
was the occurrence, at sharp bends of the river, of whole 
clumps of dead trees, which had fallen where the earth 
had caved in, and now leaned out toward the middle of 
the river, with their scraggy branches only half sub- 
merged. These had to be dodged with great alacrity, and 
the Newfoundland was once fairly swept off into the ice- 
cold stream, to the great delight of the persecuted Loklok. 
In some places these fallen clumps of earth had left 
huge caves in the high banks, and the ice could be seen 
dripping into the stream beneath. Now and then the 
party were startled by a loud report as of a musket ; not 
for some time did they discover that the noises were 
merely caused by the breaking off and falling of these 
heavy masses of earth, trees, and rocks. 
