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boatman； and I have only my nephew with me； who is a young boy； and
my wife。 If you get through safely； will you run my boat through？〃
Kit looked at Shorty； who delayed to answer。
〃He's got his wife with him；〃 Kit suggested。 Nor had he mistaken his
man。
〃Sure；〃 Shorty affirmed。 〃It was just that I was stopping to think
about。 I knew there was some reason I ought to do it。〃
Again they turned to go； but Sprague and Stine made no movement。
〃Good luck； Smoke；〃 Sprague called to him。 〃I'ller〃 He
hesitated。 〃I'll just stay here and watch you。〃
〃We need three men in the boat； two at the oars and one at the steering
sweep；〃 Kit said quietly。
Sprague looked at Stine。
〃I'm damned if I do；〃 said that gentleman。 〃If you're not afraid to
stand here and look on； I'm not。〃
〃Who's afraid？〃 Sprague demanded hotly。
Stine retorted in kind； and their two men left them in the thick of a
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squabble。
〃We can do without them；〃 Kit said to Shorty。 〃You take the bow
with a paddle； and I'll handle the steering sweep。 All you'll have to do is
just to keep her straight。 Once we're started； you won't be able to hear
me； so just keep on keeping straight。〃
They cast off the boat and worked out to middle in the quickening
current。 From the Canyon came an ever…growing roar。 The river
sucked in to the entrance with the smoothness of molten glass； and here； as
the darkening walls received them； Shorty took a chew of tobacco； and
dipped his paddle。 The boat leaped on the first crests of the ridge； and
they were deafened by the uproar of wild water that reverberated from the
narrow walls and multiplied itself。 They were half…smothered with flying
spray。 At times Kit could not see his comrade at the bow。 It was only a
matter of two minutes； in which time they rode the ridge three…quarters of
a mile； and emerged in safety and tied to the bank in the eddy below。
Shorty emptied his mouth of tobacco juicehe had forgotten to spit… …
and spoke。
〃That was bear…meat；〃 he exulted； 〃the real bear…meat。 Say； we want
a few； didn't we； Smoke； I don't mind tellin' you in confidence that before
we started I was the gosh…dangdest scaredest man this side of the Rocky…
Mountains。 Now I'm a bear…eater。 Come on an' we'll run that other boat
through。〃
Midway back； on foot； they encountered their employers； who had
watched the passage from above。
〃There comes the fish…eaters；〃 said Shorty。 〃Keep to win'ward。〃
IV。
After running the strangers' boat through； whose name proved to be
Breck； Kit and Shorty met his wife； a slender； girlish woman whose blue
eyes were moist with gratitude。 Breck himself tried to hand Kit fifty
dollars； and then attempted it on Shorty。
〃Stranger；〃 was the latter's rejection； 〃I come into this country to make
money outa the ground an' not outa my fellow critters。〃
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Breck rummaged in his boat and produced a demijohn of whiskey。
Shorty's hand half went out to it and stopped abruptly。 He shook his
head。
〃There's that blamed White Horse right below； an' they say it's worse
than the Box。 I reckon I don't dast tackle any lightning。〃
Several miles below they ran in to the bank； and all four walked down
to look at the bad water。 The river； which was a succession of rapids；
was here deflected toward the right bank by a rocky reef。 The whole body
of water； rushing crookedly into the narrow passage； accelerated its speed
frightfully； and was upflung unto huge waves； white and wrathful。 This
was the dread Mane of the White Horse； and here an even heavier toll of
dead had been exacted。 On one side of the Mane was a corkscrew curl…
over and suck…under； and on the opposite side was the big whirlpool。 To
go through； the Mane itself must be ridden。
〃This plum rips the strings outa the Box；〃 Shorty concluded。
As they watched； a boat took the head of the rapids above。 It was a
large boat； fully thirty feet long； laden with several tons of outfit and
handled by six men。 Before it reached the Mane it was plunging and
leaping； at times almost hidden by the foam and spray。
Shorty shot a slow； sidelong glance at Kit； and said：
〃She's fair smoking； and she hasn't hit the worst。 They've hauled the
oars in。 There she takes it now。 God！ She's gone！ No； there she is！〃
Big as the boat was； it had been buried from sight in the flying smother
between crests。 The next moment； in the thick of the Mane； the boat
leaped up a crest and into view。 To Kit's amazement he saw the whole
long bottom clearly outlined。 The boat； for the fraction of an instant； was
in the air； the men sitting idly in their places； all save one in the stern who
stood at the steering sweep。 Then came the downward plunge into the
trough and a second disappearance。 Three times the boat leaped and buried
itself； then those on the bank saw its nose take the whirlpool as it slipped
off the Mane。 The steersman； vainly opposing with his full weight on the
steering… gear； surrendered to the whirlpool and helped the boat to take the
circle。
Three times it went around； each time so close to the rocks on which
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Kit and Shorty stood； that either could have leaped on board。 The
steersman； a man with a reddish beard of recent growth； waved his hand to
them。 The only way out of the whirlpool was by the Mane； and on the
round the boat entered the Mane obliquely at its upper end。 Possibly out
of fear of the draw of the whirlpool； the steersman did not attempt to
straighten out quickly enough。 When he did； it was too late。
Alternately in the air and buried； the boat angled the Mane and sucked into
and down through the stiff wall of the corkscrew on the opposite side