While they had been pondering their situation, moreover, they had
been swept with almost incredible rapidity down the river. The
walls here grew narrower and narrower and the water fairly boiled in
its narrow confines. Its dark surface was flecked with white foam,
and to make matters worse, as the walls closed in the light became
fainter, till the boys were being carried downward through almost
subterranean darkness.
In the intense gloom their white strained faces shone out like
pallid beacon-lights.
"Hold her steady," said Frank in a tense voice as the canoe wobbled
crazily in the swollen current.
"I'm doing the best I can," gasped out poor Harry desperately plying
his paddle.
It the canoe was to get broadside onto the current, even for the
fraction of a second, Frank well knew that nothing could save them.
It was a terrible situation.
Helplessly they were being borne at dizzy speed to what seemed
almost certain death--for certain it was that they could not hold
out much longer. Already their overstrained muscles were only
mechanically doing their duty, but before long Frank realized that
even his-well-trained young body must collapse--and then, what?
Suddenly there was borne to their ears a sound that made both boys
chill with terror.
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