Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/497

AN ANXIOUS VOAYGE. 469 west. Mrs. Weldon, Jack, and Benedîct were ail aslecp. Calling Hercules to him, he asked him whether he could not hear a strange noise. The nîght was perfectly calm, and not a breath of air was stirring. The negro listened attentively, and suddenly, his eyes sparkling with delight, exckiinried, — " Yes, captain, I hear the sea ! " Dick shook his head and answered, — " It is not the sea, Hercules." " Not the sea ! " cried the negro, " then what can it be ? " " We must wait till daybreak," replied Dick, ** and meanwhile we shall hâve to keep a sharp look-out." Hercules returned to his place, but only to continue listening with ever-încreasing curiosity. The rumbling perceptibly increased till it became a continued roar. With scarcely any intervening twilight night passed into day. Just in front, scarcely more than half a mile ahead, a great mist was hanging over the river ; it was not an ordinary fog, and when the sun rose, the light of the dawn caused a brilliant rainbow to arch itsclf from shore to shore. In a voîce so loud that ît avvoke Mrs. Weldon, Dick gave his order to Hercules to steer for the bank : — " Quick, quick, Hercules ! ashore ! ashore ! there are cataracts close ahead ! " And so it was. Within little more than a quarter of a mile the bcd of the river sank abruptly some hundred feet, and the foaming waters rushed down in a magnificent fall with irrésistible velocity. A few minutes more and the canoë must hâve been swallowed in the deep abyss.