Arizona -- Fiction; Grand Canyon (Ariz.) -- Fiction; Western stories
More indeed! It seemed to Enoch that the first rapid was child's play
to the one that followed. The jutting rocks were more frequent. The
fall greater. The waves more menacing. But they shot it safely until
they reached its foot and there an eddy caught them and carried them
back upstream in spite of all that could be done. Enoch seized the
oars that were in readiness beside him and pulled with all his might
but to no avail. And suddenly the Mary rushed out of the mist striking
them fairly amidship. The Ida half turned over, but righted herself
and the Mary darted off. Milton shouted hoarsely, Forrester and Enoch
obeyed blindly and after what seemed to Enoch an endless struggle,
spray and waves suddenly ceased and they found themselves in quieter
waters where the Mary awaited them.
Harden and Agnew were laughing. "Thought you knew an eddy when you saw
one, Milt!" cried Agnew.
"I don't know anything!" grinned Milton, "except that Jonas is going to
be too scared to cook."
"If ever I get to land," retorted Jonas, "I'll cook something for a
thanksgiving to the Lord that you all will never forget."
They examined the next fall and passed through it successfully. The
Canyon was widening now and an occasional cedar tree could be seen.
Enoch was vaguely conscious, too, that the colors of the walls were
more brilliant. But the ardors of the rapids gave small opportunity
for aesthetic observations.
Curiously enough, after the passage of this last fall the waters did
not subside in speed, though the waves disappeared. The spray of
another fall was to be seen beyond.
"We mustn't risk shooting her without observation," cried Milton.
"Make for that spit of sand with the cedars on it, fellows."
Enoch and Forrester put their backs into their strokes in their
endeavor to guide the Ida to the place indicated, which appeared to be
the one available landing spot. But the current carried them at such
velocity that when within half a dozen feet of the shore it seemed
impossible to stop and make the landing.
"Overboard!" shouted Milton.
All three plunged into the water, clinging to the gunwale. The water
was waist deep. For a few feet boat and men were dragged onward. Then
they found secure foothold on the rocky river bottom and, with huge
effort, beached the Ida. Scarcely was this done, when the Mary hove in
view and with Milton shouting directions, they rushed once more into
the current to help with the landing.
"The cook and the bacon both are in your boat, Harden!" chuckled
Milton, "or you'd be getting no such delicate attentions from the Ida."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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