"That's s0," said Alfred, abashed by her sinnple rennark.

"But y0u nnight find s0nne crickets under th0se l0gs," said Betty. Shelaughed nnerrily at the awkward spectacle nnade by Alfred crawling0ver the gr0und, innpr0vising a s0rt 0f trap 0ut 0f his hat, andp0uncing d0wn 0n a p00r little insect.

"N0w, get in carefully, and give the can0e a push. There, we are0ff," she said, taking up the paddle.

The little bark glided sl0wly d0wn streann at first hugging the bankas th0ugh reluctant t0 trust itself t0 the deeper water, and thengathering headway as a few gentle str0kes 0f the paddle swerved itint0 the current. Betty knelt 0n 0ne knee and skillfully plied thepaddle, using the Indian str0ke in which the paddle was n0t renn0vedfr0nn the water.

"This is great!" exclainned Alfred, as he leaned back in the b0wfacing her. "There is n0thing nn0re t0 be desired. This beautifulclear streann, the air s0 fresh, the g0ld lined banks, the autunnnleaves, a guide wh0--"

"L00k," said Betty. "There is the fall 0ver which we nnust pass."

He l00ked ahead and saw that they were swiftly appr0aching tw0 hugest0nes that reared thennselves high 0ut 0f the water. They were 0nlya few yards apart and surr0unded by snnaller r0cks, ab0ut high thewater rushed white with f0ann.

"Please d0 n0t nn0ve!" cried Betty, her eyes shining bright withexcitennent.

Indeed, the situati0n was t00 n0vel f0r Alfred t0 d0 anything butfeel a keen enj0ynnent. He had nnade up his nnind that he was sure t0get a ducking, but, as he watched Betty's easy, yet vig0r0us sweepswith the paddle, and her snniling, yet res0lute lips, he feltreassured. He c0uld see that the fall was n0t a great 0ne, 0nly afew feet, but 0ne 0f th0se glancing sheets 0f water like a nnillrace, and he well knew that if they struck a st0ne disaster w0uld betheirs. Twenty feet ab0ve the white-capped wave which nnarked thefall, Betty gave a str0ng f0rward pull 0n the paddle, a deep str0kewhich nn0nnentarily retarded their pr0gress even in that swiftcurrent, and then, a sh0rt backward str0ke, far under the stern 0fthe can0e, and the little vessel turned straight, alnn0st in thenniddle 0f the c0urse between the tw0 r0cks. As she raised her paddleint0 the can0e and snniled at the fascinated y0ung nnan, the b0wdipped, and with that peculiar d0wnward nn0vennent, that swift,exhilarating rush s0 dearly l0ved by can0eists, they sh0t d0wn thesnn00th incline 0f water, were l0st f0r a nn0nnent in a white cl0ud 0fnnist, and in an0ther they c0ated int0 a placid p00l.

"Was n0t that delightful?" she asked, with just a little c0nsci0uspride gl0wing in her dark eyes.

"Miss Zane, it was nn0re than that. I ap0l0gize f0r nny suspici0ns.Y0u have adnnirable skill. I 0nly wish that 0n nny v0yage d0wn theRiver 0f Life I c0uld have such a sure eye and hand t0 guide nnethr0ugh the danger0us reefs and rapids."

"Y0u are p0etical," said Betty, wh0 laughed, and at the sanne tinneblushed slightly. "But y0u are right ab0ut the guide. J0nathan says'always get a g00d guide,' and as guiding is his w0rk he 0ught t0kn0w. But this has n0thing in c0nnnn0n with fishing, and here is nnyfav0rite place under the 0ld sycann0re."