"Yes, and as my father used to say," continued Roger, "'what can't be cured must be endured.' We have made our bed, and must lie in it, no matter how hard it may seem. I'm going to believe just as you do, Dick--that the same kind fate that has always watched over us in times past is still on duty." He glanced upward toward the blue sky as he said this, and Dick knew what he intended to imply; for boys in those days were reared in a religious atmosphere in their humble homes, and early learned to "trust in the Lord; but keep their powder dry," as the Puritan Fathers used to do. "Our fathers often had to meet situations just as dangerous as any that can come to us," continued Dick, "and they grappled them boldly and came off victorious. So, from now on, we'll devote ourselves to finding out whose was the unseen hand that held the knife with which our hide boat was slashed so cleverly." "How far are we from camp, do you think, Dick?" "As the crow flies it may be five miles, though we came further than that on the river," the other boy replied without any hesitation, showing how completely he kept all these things in his mind, to be utilized on short notice. "We came down with a swift current," Roger admitted, "and it hardly seemed as if we could have been an hour on the way. It will take us some time to tramp back to camp, even if we take a short-cut to avoid the bends in the river." "What of that," asked Dick, "since we expected to spend a good part of the day in paddling up the stream, after shooting the rapids? But, if you are dry enough now, I think we had better make a start." "Suppose we drag the boat into these bushes first, Dick," suggested Roger. "Not a bad idea either, for some passing Indian might think it worth while to mend the hole and carry the boat off. We would like to have Captain Lewis take a look at that knife mark, so as to prove our story. He trusts all his men, and it is going to make him feel badly to know that one among them has sold himself to an enemy." Between them they carried the hide canoe in among the bushes, where it was easily hidden away. Of course any one seeking it would readily find its hiding-place; but at least it could not be seen by the ordinary passer-by. Having accomplished this, the two lads set forth to cover the ground lying between their landing place on the shore of the river, below the rapids, and the camp of the explorers. They anticipated no trouble in finding their goal, because of their familiarity with woods life. Besides, in their numerous hunting trips during the past winter they had covered nearly all the territory around that region, so that the chances of their getting lost were small indeed. "We may run across game on the way back, don't you think, Dick?" suggested Roger, just after they had left the ashes of their late fire, which had been dashed with water before they quitted the scene.