"I don't think there is that much danger, Jess," answered Rob. "But if there should be an accident, we have one boat left, and we'd not try to run her through. We'd let her down the edge of the rapids on a rope the best we could, a little at a time. That's what Alex would do now if he thought there was any real danger."
"Here they come!" shouted John. All three boys scrambled up on a high, jutting rock, where they could see the course of the boat.
The _Mary Ann_ swept around the curve gently and steadily, caught in the rapid down-set of the current. Moise was in the bow, Alex at the stern paddle, and both the men looked steadily ahead and not at either side. They saw the boat seemed to tip down at a sharp angle, but still go on steadily. Alex was following the long V which ran down in the mid-channel stream, on either side of which were heavy rocks and sharp, abrupt falls in the water. At the foot of this smooth strip they saw the bow of the boat shoot up into the air, then drop down to a more even keel. From that time on the _Mary Ann_ was swept down swiftly, jumping up and down, part of the time almost hidden out of sight, and, as they thought, swamped in the heavy seas. To their delight, however, they saw the little craft emerge at the foot of the white water after a while and, taking advantage of the back current, swing gently alongside and up the shore toward where they stood at the foot of the main cascade. Both the men were smiling at their excitement.
"Well, what do you think about that?" asked John, in wonder. "I was sure they were gone, but they don't seem to care at all."
On the contrary, Moise seemed to be very much pleased with the experience. Alex was smoking quietly. Neither said much when finally they came ashore close where the boys stood.
"That was great work," said Rob. "It was beautiful!"
"These boat she'll not tip over," said Moise calmly. "She's good boat. I s'pose could carry through maybe a hondred ton or so!"
"Well, maybe not _that_ much!" smiled Alex, "but we've proved that the channel out there is practicable. We'll go up now and bring down the other boat. First we'll put this one high up on the bank, so that no rise in the stream can take it away, because we're apt to need these boats before we get through."