Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/173

 one of the rocks past which he went with such speed that the wind whistled through his hair; but he did see the smooth surface of the pond the instant he came within sight of it, and when he shot into it, propelled by the momentum he had acquired during his descent of the rapids, he called out gleefully that he had not touched a solitary obstruction on the way.

"Of course not," answered Arthur. "If you had, you would not be as dry as you are now. There is a clearly defined channel all the way through the gorge, and you won't touch any thing if you keep in it. What would happen to you if you should get out of it, I don't know; but I think you would be fortunate if you came off with a simple capsize."

It was a thrilling sight that was presented to their gaze as they sat there in their canoes at the bottom of the rapids and watched the others as they came down. First Joe Wayring dashed into view around the bend, closely followed by Ralph Parnsworth, who seemed to be quite as much at his ease as his guide was, and handled his paddle and managed his canoe