Perhaps a half dozen boat lengths from the falls the whirling motion of
the water ceased, and it leaped ferociously toward the narrow opening.
When the Ida felt this straight pull, Milton roared:
"Back her, Judge, back her! Now the rope, Harden! You too, Ag!"
Her prow was beyond the opening before the speed of the Ida was stopped
by the ropes. A moment later her crew had dropped flat on the rocks,
panting and exhausted.
"Well, Milt, of all the darn fools!" exclaimed Harden. "After telling
us to keep to the right, what did you try to do yourself? If you'd
gone inside that big finger rock at the end of the rapid you'd have had
no trouble."
"I never had a chance to go inside that rock," panted Milton. "A
pot-hole spouted a boat's length ahead and threw me clear to the left."
"Say," said Agnew, "we got some crew in our boat now. Jonas, you are
some little oarsman!"
"Scared as ever, Jonas?" asked Enoch.
"I wasn't never so much scared, you know, boss, as I was nervous. But
this charm is sure a good one. If we can live through this here day,
we can live through anything. I want you to wear it, to-morrow, boss.
Seems like the head boat needs it more'n us folks."
Jonas' liquid black eyes twinkled.
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