"They tried to, hard enough," declared Jimmy.
"Do you really think so?" cried his companion.
"I'm sure of it! Why, they struck hard enough to kill. Only that we had on our tin hats, they'd have ended us. And then dumping us into this river—that was to be the end, they thought."
"And I'm not sure but what it will be yet," said Roger, as his swimming strokes seemed to lose power.
"What's the matter?" asked Jimmy anxiously. "Can't you keep it up?"
"Not much longer. I'm about all in. My head feels queer!"
Jimmy looked about him. They were in the midst of swirling waters that rushed in and out among the rocks. The two lads had a hard struggle not to be dashed against these.
"Do you see that flat rock over there?" cried Jimmy to his chum, pointing to one about a hundred feet down stream and nearer to the western bank than the boys then were.
"Yes, I see it," was the answer.
"Do you think you can reach it?"