I thought it meant another
bend in the stream, and I strained my eyes intently in the effort
to discover its direction, but I could see nothing save the black
wall. We approached closer; I shouted to Harry and Desiree to
brace themselves for a shock, praying that the raft would meet
the rock squarely and not on a corner.
I had barely had time to set myself and grasp the straps behind
when we struck with terrific force. The raft rebounded several
feet, trembling and shaking violently. The water was rushing past
us with noisy impetuosity.
There was a cry from Desiree, and from Harry, "All right!" I
crawled to the bow. Along the top the hide covering had been
split open for several feet, but the water did not quite reach
the opening.
And we had reached the end of our ambitious journey. For that
black wall marked the finish of the tunnel; the stream entered it
through a narrow hole, which accounted for the sudden, swift rush
of the current. Above the upper rim of the hole the surface of
the water whirled about in a widening circle; to this had we been
led by the stream that was to have carried us to the land of
sunshine.
When I told Desiree she stared at me in silence! I had not
realized before the strength of her hope.
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