The men looked at each other, half guilty.
"What is it!" cried Milton. "What are you keeping from me."
"The Na-che's gone!" Jonas spoke huskily.
"How'd she go?" demanded Milton.
"A sucking whirlpool up there took her, after we struck a rock at the bottom of the falls," answered Harden. "We struck at such speed that it stove in her bottom and threw us clear of the whirlpool. But she's gone and everything in her."
"How about the Ida?" Milton's face was white and his lips were compressed.
"She'll do, with some patching," replied Enoch.
"Some leader, I am, eh?" Milton lay back on his blanket.
"I think I've heard of a number of other leaders losing boats on this trip," said Enoch. "Now, you fellows can dry off piecemeal. This fire would dry anything. We've got to shift Milton's clothes somehow. Lucky for you your clothes were in the Ida, Milt. Mine were in the Na-che."
"And two thirds of the grub in the Na-che, too!" exclaimed Agnew.