“Rapids? I rather guess not. That spot’s no more like the rapids than a milk pail’s like a mill-pond. No, sir! When ye strike the rapids, ye’ll know it. It’s most like slidin’ down hill on water.”
“But how do the boats come up the river, then?” queried Ben. “They do come up, for I see them every day. I shouldn’t think they could get through the rapids, if they’re like what you say they are.”
“No more they don’t.”
As the boys looked blankly at him, Ethan laughed and said, “They come up the canal. Course they can’t get through the rapids.”
“I didn’t know there was a canal,” said Ben.
“Humph,” grunted the boatman; but it was evident that his opinion of their knowledge was but slight, in spite of the fact that they had endeavored to impress him with the entrance into college they had all gained.
“Are we going down to the rapids to-day?” inquired Bert.
“To-day? Well, I guess not,” said Ethan, decidedly. “How far down the river d’ye think them rapids be?”
“I didn’t know,” protested Bert, hastily. “I only asked for information.”
“We’ll go down there some time, but we’ll have to make a two or three day trip of it. Even this boat o’ mine, and she’s no laggard, I’d have ye understand, couldn’t make it in a day. But we’re goin’ down there. There’s fishin’ below the Longue Seaut that leaves Goose Bay and Eel Bay and all the spots among the islands in the shade.”