Through the park, to different points where the American or Canadian Falls could best be seen, the girls rode or walked with little conversation. They stood silently before the majesty of the waters, watching the feathery flow over the American Falls, or a glittering green cascade on the Canadian side. On little bridges which led to rocky islands, they watched the whirling rapids above the falls. Sometimes the mist blew into their faces.
“May we go under the falls, Miss West?”
“No, Marjorie; we’ll just do the safer, ordinary things.”
“That suits me,” said Hilary. “I want to look at the things the Creator made. Everything else seems like a blot on the landscape, cheap, someway.”
“Well, perhaps,” answer Helen. “Still, we could not see the Falls as well if they did not have the bridges, you know. Wouldn’t you’ve liked to be the first person that ever saw Niagara Falls?”
“Prob’ly some Indian.”
“Yes, June, that didn’t know what he was coming to and went over in his little canoe!”
“Now, Marjorie!” reproved Helen. “You can hear the thunder of it a long way off, and I’m sure that any sensible Indian would have landed his canoe long before he came to the big rapids.”
The falls of Niagara never cease to arouse wonder and admiration no matter how many times the tourist may have visited them, and these girls were no exception to the rule. The amazing whirlpool rapids, where, tossing and tumbling, the foaming waters of Niagara river swept through the great gorge, impressed them almost as much as the falls themselves. The day itself, with its fresh breeze and sun upon the dancing waters, more than compensated for the tiresome trip of the night before.
Lewiston and a customs officer came next. At first the girls wondered why the herding of the crowd through the little gate to the dock, but the questions asked about their luggage made them realize that they were temporarily leaving their native land. So unmistakable a group of school-girls and teacher, however, with the camp tags on suit-cases and bags, was passed on everywhere without any trouble. They were soon on board the boat for Toronto.