AN ARMY OF SNAKES
For a moment Ken Ward was utterly crushed under the weight of this sudden blow. It was so sudden that he had no time to think; or his mind was clamped on the idea of attempting to haul the boat up that long, insurmountable series of falls.
"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal.
No doubt in the mind of each boy was the same idea--the long haul, wading over slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs against the swift current; the packing of supplies uphill; and then the toil of lifting the heavy boat up over a fall.
"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned. That was significant, coming from a mozo, who thought nothing of rowing forty miles in a day.
"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken. "Why didn't I choose the right branch of this pesky river?"
"I think you used your head at that," said Hal. "Most of the water came down on this side. Where did it go?"
Hal had hit the vital question, and it cleared Ken's brain.
"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did that water go? It couldn't all have sunk into the earth. We'll find out. We won't try to go back. We can't go back."
Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly, as if he appreciated the dilemma, he turned the boat and rowed along the shore. As soon as Ken had recovered somewhat he decided there must be an outlet which he had missed. This reminded him that at a point not far back he had heard the tinkle and gurgle of unseen water flowing over rocks.