“It’s hard work, of course; but you’ll both come back in better shape than you’ve ever been in your life.”
Mike scrambled to his feet. “In that case,” he announced, “I’m going to have to start preparing myself. I think I remember a little cold chicken going back into the icebox, and that’s no way to treat chicken!” He started for the door.
“But you just finished dinner,” his father pointed out.
“I know,” Mike shot back over his shoulder. “But I didn’t do a very good job of it. Too busy thinking about the trip.”
Mr. Cook made a notation on the paper in front of him. “Item one on our list. Hire the Queen Mary as a provision ship so Mike will never have to go hungry.”
“The Queen Elizabeth’s bigger,” Mike called and disappeared into the kitchen.
CHAPTER TWO
White Water
Four days later, Sandy and Mike stood on the pine-cloaked southern bank of the Salmon River, looking down on a patch of foaming water that boiled and hissed over jagged rocks, gleaming wet with spray.
The boys stared at each other wordlessly. Sandy was the first to break the silence. “What did your father call this place?” he asked.
“Kindergarten Rapids,” Mike answered in an awed voice. “He said it was a nice easy run to start with.”