Steadiness and skill were needed, but after all the risk was not greater than he had often run in the mine and on the frozen trail.

The daunting thing was that Driscoll, whom they had expected to steer the canoe, looked afraid.

He crouched astern, paddling in a slack, nerveless manner.

There was no chance of landing now; they must run through the mad turmoil into the eddies of the tail-pool.
The roar of the flood rolled in confused echoes along the wall of pines.
Angry waves broke upon the reefs near the bank, and a cloud of spray wavered and glittered above a tossing line of foam.

They were drifting towards the line extraordinarily fast, and Thirlwell felt his nerves tingle as he tried to brace himself.