Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/261

246 ^46 LA SUBTLE YEOrETE. ,01^ get there without acciucsnt. Up to this time he ,htis kept the paddle, for without it he knew he woidd n.0t be in it; but now the time has about arrived when ihe must discard that and trust to the success <>f the Ysopete scheme. He realizes he cannot expect to win by a fair, square paddle, for both the other men are older and stronger; /so if his submarine, aquatic scheme should fail he is sure of defeat. So at Uie proper place he drops the paddle and dives into the water, keeping his fingers on the side of his canoe so as not to lose the location while under the water, hav- ing taken the deepest breath in all his life; and now the handle is grasped with one hand and he feels his feet on the beautiful sandy bottom, which is only about four feet deei).^ So he has to crouch in order to keep his head from coming above the water. - But he has practiced this manner of dragging his canoe enough times to bonvince him of his abUity to snc- oefed. This gives him confidence, and now for the ef- fort of his life. One thing practiced and thought of was the necessity of selecting the side where the cur- rent of the river was the least, so the young savage felt sure of his ground, having traversed it many times before: so with eyes wide open, of course mouth closed, he ran dragging his canoe after him by the hand hold; by this means lie was able to get ahead, of the other two who were confounded by the si>eed of' craft without seeing the motive power, and thus lost time, and when he reached the si>ot agreed upon by him and Ysopete, it being where it was found he: could hold his breath to, the faithful guide as pre-ar- ranged was standing in the stream, beating the same