By this time the five horses were swimming for the other side of the stream, with the travelers on their backs. As they advanced the current became swifter and stronger. What had seemed like an ordinary mountain river was a dangerous one.
For some reason Jed's horse seemed to be headed more down stream than did any of its companions. Gabe noticed this and called:
"Head him up this way, Jed. It sounds like rapids below there, and maybe there's a waterfall."
Jed tried to, but it is no easy matter to guide a horse in the water, especially when the animal is frightened. In vain did the lad tug at the reins. The horse was now swimming right down the middle of the river.
An instant later, as the stream made a bend, Jed could look ahead through the fast-gathering darkness. The river was a mass of white foam.
"The rapids!" he cried. "I'm in the rapids!"
Almost as he spoke his horse was stumbling over stones and boulders in the shallow part of the stream, where the waters lashed themselves into foam as they rushed over the rocky bed.