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〃Sit down and get a good rest till a lull comes in the wind； and then
buck in for all we're worth。〃
Simple as the idea was； he had been the first to evolve it； the first time
it was applied it worked； and they hoisted a blanket to the mast and sped
down the lake。 Stine and Sprague immediately became cheerful。
Shorty； despite his chronic pessimism； was always cheerful； and Kit was
too interested to be otherwise。 Sprague struggled with the steering sweep
for a quarter of an hour； and then looked appealingly at Kit； who relieved
him。
〃My arms are fairly broken with the strain of it；〃 Sprague muttered
apologetically。
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〃You never ate bear…meat； did you？〃 Kit asked sympathetically。
〃What the devil do you mean？〃
〃Oh； nothing； I was just wondering。〃
But behind his employer's back Kit caught the approving grin of
Shorty； who had already caught the whim of his simile。
Kit steered the length of Linderman； displaying an aptitude that caused
both young men of money and disinclination for work to name him boat…
steerer。 Shorty was no less pleased； and volunteered to continue cooking
and leave the boat work to the other。
Between Linderman and Lake Bennet was a portage。 The boat；
lightly loaded； was lined down the small but violent connecting stream；
and here Kit learned a vast deal more about boats and water。 But when it
came to packing the outfit； Stine and Sprague disappeared； and their men
spent two days of back…breaking toil in getting the outfit across。 And this
was the history of many miserable days of the tripKit and Shorty
working to exhaustion； while their masters toiled not and demanded to be
waited upon。
But the iron…bound arctic winter continued to close down； and they
were held back by numerous and avoidable delays。 At Windy Arm； Stine
arbitrarily dispossessed Kit of the steering…sweep and within the hour
wrecked the boat on a wave…beaten lee shore。 Two days were lost here in
making repairs； and the morning of the fresh start； as they came down to
embark； on stern and bow； in large letters； was charcoaled 'The
Chechaquo。'
Kit grinned at the appropriateness of the invidious word。
〃Huh！〃 said Shorty； when accused by Stine。 〃I can sure read and
spell； an' I know that Chechaquo means tenderfoot； but my education
never went high enough to learn me to spell a jaw…breaker like that。〃
Both employers looked daggers at Kit； for the insult rankled； nor did
he mention that the night before； Shorty had besought him for the spelling
of that particular word。
〃That's 'most as bad as your bear…meat slam at 'em；〃 Shorty confided
later。
Kit chuckled。 Along with the continuous discovery of his own
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powers had come an ever…increasing disapproval of the two masters。 It
was not so much irritation； which was always present； as disgust。 He had
got his taste of the meat； and liked it； but they were teaching him how not
to eat it。 Privily； he thanked God that he was not made as they。 He
came to dislike them to a degree that bordered on hatred。 Their
malingering bothered him less than their helpless inefficiency。
Somewhere in him； old Isaac Bellew and all the rest of the hardy Bellews
were making good。
〃Shorty；〃 he said one day； in the usual delay of getting started； 〃I could
almost fetch them a rap over the head with an oar and bury them in the
river。〃
〃Same here；〃 Shorty agreed。 〃They're not meat…eaters。 They're fish…
eaters； and they sure stink。〃
III。
They came to the rapids； first； the Box Canyon； and； several miles
below； the White Horse。 The Box Canyon was adequately named。 It
was a box； a trap。 Once in it； the only way out was through。 On either
side arose perpendicular walls of rock。 The river narrowed to a fraction
of its width； and roared through this gloomy passage in a madness of
motion that heaped the water in the centre into a ridge fully eight feet
higher than at the rocky sides。 This ridge； in turn； was crested with stiff；
upstanding waves that curled over； yet remained each in its unvarying
place。 The Canyon was well feared； for it had collected its toll of dead
from the passing gold… rushers。
Tying to the bank above； where lay a score of other anxious boats； Kit
and his companions went ahead on foot to investigate。 They crept to the
brink and gazed down at the swirl of water。 Sprague drew back
shuddering。
〃My God！〃 he exclaimed。 〃A swimmer hasn't a chance in that。〃
Shorty touched Kit significantly with his elbow and said in an
undertone：
〃Cold feet。 Dollars to doughnuts they don't go through。〃
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Kit scarcely heard。 From the beginning of the boat trip he had been
learning the stubbornness and inconceivable viciousness of the elements；
and this glimpse of what was below him acted as a challenge。
〃We've got to ride that ridge；〃 he said。 〃If we get off of it we'll hit the
walls〃
〃And never know what hit us；〃 was Shorty's verdict。 〃Can you swim；
Smoke？〃
〃I'd wish I couldn't if anything went wrong in there。〃
〃That's what I say；〃 a stranger； standing alongside and peering down
into the Canyon； said mournfully。 〃And I wish I were through it。〃
〃I wouldn't sell my chance to go through；〃 Kit answered。
He spoke honestly； but it was with the idea of heartening the man。 He
turned to go back to the boat。
〃Are you going to tackle it？〃 the man asked。
Kit nodded。
〃I wish I could get the courage to；〃 the other confessed。 〃I've been
here for hours。 The longer I look； the more afraid I am。 I am not a
boatman； and I have only my nephew with me； who is a young boy； and