"'Ullo, Smith," cried the Baker, "don't go and miss your bloomin' tip, and tumble h'overboard."
They rounded a bend.
"It wouldn't matter," said Smith gravely; "where's the river, Baker?"
And they grounded on a sand bank.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE SAND TORNADO.
The canoe was now in a part of the river which looked like a lagoon bounded on every side by sand-hills, and it had no visible outlet, nor was there any current. But every now and again air bubbles came up from the bottom, and at one place the water appeared to move in a circular direction. Smith gave a stroke or two of his paddle, and the canoe came within the influence of this circle.
It moved slowly round and round. Meantime the Baker sat motionless with a fallen jaw; and even Kitty seemed disturbed.
"What is it?" he asked at length.
"It's a river sink," said Smith gloomily; "the water goes in the sand or under it."