After an exciting experience he, too, was drawn ashore, really none the worse for his adventure.
"Shake hands, Frank. You did nobly. I might have laughed, only I didn't seem to have breath enough," said Jerry, but the look in his eyes told how he had enjoyed seeing his chum passing through the same experience.
A fire was made, so that the soaked ones might dry off. Meanwhile, Mr. Mabie and Will succeeded in successfully shooting the rapids, though the latter was wise enough to leave his precious camera in the care of Bluff.
As noon found them still there, they took a "snack" before resuming the water journey. Below the fierce rapids the current was still swift, but there were places where the stream widened, and here the scenery was very fine, although the leaves looked more or less parched on account of the scarcity of rain during the summer that was passing.
An hour later, and they saw signs of smoke below.
"The boys have arrived ahead of us," said Mr. Mabie, pointing to the wreaths that ascended above the trees.
"All on account of our mishap. We lost three hours that way," remarked Frank, who felt a
little provoked over the accident, since he aspired to be a capable canoeman at all times.
"Those things will happen to the best of guides at times," consoled the stockman. "I've often been in the drink myself. There are some cross-currents in our rapids, that one can only learn by experience. I rather expected you would go over, and instructed Reddy to be on the watch below."
"I wager I wouldn't get caught in that same way again, sir," asserted Frank.