The stern of the skiff was jerked violently around toward the bank; but, instead of swinging in, as everybody hoped and believed she would, she careened until the water came in over the gunwale, and she seemed to be on the very point of capsizing.
The boys threw themselves as far as they could over the opposite gunwale to right her; but just then there was a loud crash, the line was torn from their grasp, and Bob and his companion recovered themselves just in time to see the thwart, to which the lariat had been made fast, fly out of the boat and land in the water twenty feet astern.
The men on shore stood aghast, and the boys clutched the gunwales of the boat, which, after rocking from side to side for a moment or two with the greatest violence, finally came to an even keel, and shot toward the canyon with accelerated speed.
It was too late now to do anything more. Escape was impossible, and even George had given up all hope of it, and nerved himself to meet his fate. He and Bob had just time to take one short farewell glance at their agonized friends on shore, and then the boat was swept into the canyon, and darkness, impenetrable darkness, closed about them!
No pen can describe the anguish of mind experienced by these two boys as they sat there on the bottom of their boat, clinging to the gunwales with a death-grip, holding their breath in suspense, and waiting for their frail craft to be smashed into kindling wood against some unseen obstruction.
The wind whistled past their ears, and deeper and blacker grew the darkness of the canyon as their boat sped on its way.
There was no sound heard save the rush of the water against the bank on either hand, but the speed with which they were moving was simply appalling.
Believing that a recumbent position was safer than an upright one—as the darkness was so intense that it seemed as though the walls and roof of the canyon must be within easy reach of his head—Bob threw himself backward, and, with his head resting on the tent and his eyes directed toward the top of the canyon, awaited the issue of events with a calmness that surprised himself.
Now and then a little patch of light, far above him, would shoot by with such surprising swiftness that his hair would fairly stand on end, and he would clutch the sides of the boat with a firmer grip, and wonder how much longer this wild ride must continue, and how long it would be before the catastrophe would come.