rs.undertheandes-第40部分

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　roar　bewildering　and　confusing；　and　I　picked　up　my　oar　and　menced　to　paddle　away　from　it；　at　least；　so　I　judged。
　Harry's　voice　came　from　behind：
　〃In　the　name　of　goodness；　where　did　you　get　that　oar？〃
　I　turned。
　〃Young　man；　a　good　sailor　never　loses　an　oar。　How　do　you　feel；　Desiree？〃
　〃Like　a　drowned　rat；〃　she　answered；　but　with　a　laugh　in　her　voice。　〃I'm　faint　and　sick　and　wet；　and　my　throat　is　ready　to　burst；　but　I　wouldn't　have　missed　that　for　anything。　It　was　glorious！　I'd　like　to　do　it　again。〃
　〃Yes；　you　would；〃　said　Harry　skeptically。　〃You're　wele；　thank　you。　But　what　I　want　to　know　is；　where　did　that　oar　e　from？〃
　I　explained　that　I　had　taken　the　precaution　to　fall　on　it。
　
　〃Do　you　never　lose　your　head？〃　asked　Desiree。
　〃No；　merely　my　heart。〃
　〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　she　retorted；　with　a　lightness　that　still　had　a　sting；　〃my　good　friend；　you　never　had　any。〃
　Whereupon　I　returned　to　my　paddling　in　haste。
　Soon　I　discovered　that　though；　as　I　have　said；　we　appeared　to　be　in　a　lake…for　I　could　see　no　bank　on　either　side…there　was　still　a　current。　We　drifted　slowly；　but　our　movement　was　plainly　perceptible；　and　I　rested　on　my　oar。
　Presently　a　wall　loomed　up　ahead　of　us　and　I　saw　that　the　stream　again　narrowed　down　as　it　entered　the　tunnel；　much　lower　than　the　one　above　the　cataract。　The　current　became　swifter　as　we　were　carried　toward　its　mouth；　and　I　called　to　Harry　to　get　his　spear　to　keep　us　off　from　the　walls　if　it　should　prove　necessary。
　But　we　entered　exactly　in　the　center　and　were　swept　forward　with　a　rush。
　The　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　was　so　low　that　we　could　not　stand　upright　on　the　raft；　and　the　stream　was　not　more　than　forty　feet　wide。　That　was　anything　but　promising；　if　the　stream　really　ran　through　to　the　western　slope；　its　volume　of　water　should　have　been　increasing　instead　of　diminishing。　I　said　nothing　of　that　to　Harry　or　Desiree。
　We　had　sailed　along　thus　without　incident　for　upward　of　half　an　hour；　when　my　carelessness；　or　the　darkness；　nearly　brought　us　to　grief。　Suddenly；　without　warning；　there　was　a　violent　jar　and　the　raft　rebounded　with　a　force　that　all　but　threw　us　into　the　water。　ing　to　a　bend　in　the　stream；　the　current　had　dashed　us　against　the　other　bank。
　But；　owing　to　the　flexibility　of　its　sides；　the　raft　escaped　damage。　I　had　my　oar　against　the　wall　instantly；　shoving　off；　and　we　swung　round　and　caught　the　current　again　round　the　curve。
　But　that　bend　was　to　the　left；　as　the　other　had　been；　which　meant　that　we　were　now　going　in　exactly　the　opposite　direction　of　that　in　which　we　had　started！　Which；　in　turn；　meant　the　death　of　hope；　we　were　merely　winding　in　and　out　in　a　circle　and　getting　nowhere。　Harry　and　Desiree　had　apparently　not　noticed　the　fact；　and　I　said　nothing　of　it。　Time　enough　when　they　should　find　out　for　themselves；　and　besides；　there　was　still　a　chance；　though　a　slim　one。
　Soon　the　bed　of　the　stream　became　nearly　level；　for　we　barely　moved。　The　roof　of　the　tunnel　was　very　low…but　a　scant　foot　above　our　heads　as　we　sat　or　crouched　on　the　raft。　It　was　necessary　to　keep　a　sharp　lookout　ahead；　a　rock　projecting　from　above　would　have　swept　us　into　the　water。
　The　air；　too；　was　close　and　foul；　our　breath　became　labored　and　difficult；　and　Desiree；　half　stifled　and　drowsy；　passed　into　a　fitful　and　broken　sleep；　stirring　restlessly　and　panting　for　air。
　Harry　had　taken　the　bow　and　I　lay　across　the　stern。　Suddenly　his　voice　came；　announcing　that　we　had　left　the　tunnel。
　I　sat　up　quickly　and　looked　round。　The　walls　were　no　longer　to　be　seen；　we　had　evidently　entered　a　cavern　similar　to　the　one　in　which　we　had　embarked。
　〃Shall　we　lay　off？　I　asked；　stepping　across　to　Harry's　side。
　He　assented；　and　I　took　the　oar　and　worked　the　raft　over　to　the　left。　There　was　but　little　current　and　she　went　well　in。　In　a　few　minutes　we　were　in　shallow　water；　and　Harry　and　I　jumped　off　and　shoved　her　to　the　bank。
　Desiree　sat　up；　rubbing　her　eyes。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked。
　Harry　explained　while　we　beached　the　raft。　Then　we　broke　out　our　provisions　and　partook　of　them。
　〃But　why　do　we　stop？〃　asked　Desiree。
　The　words　〃Because　we　are　not　getting　anywhere〃　rose　to　my　lips；　but　I　kept　them　back。
　〃For　a　rest　and　some　air；〃　I　answered。
　Desiree　exclaimed：　〃But　I　want　to　go　on！〃
　So　as　soon　as　we　had　eaten　our　fill　we　loaded　the　stuff　again　and　prepared　to　shove　off。　By　that　time　I　think　Harry；　too；　had　realized　the　hopelessness　of　our　expedition；　for　he　had　lost　all　his　enthusiasm；　but　he　said　nothing；　nor　did　I。　We　secured　Desiree　on　her　pile　of　skins　and　again　pushed　out　into　the　current。
　The　cavern　was　not　large；　for　we　had　been　under　way　but　a　few　minutes　when　its　wall　loomed　up　ahead　and　the　stream　again　entered　a　tunnel；　so　low　and　narrow　that　I　hesitated　about　entering　at　all。
　I　consulted　Harry。
　〃Take　a　chance；〃　he　advised。　〃Why　not？　As　well　that　as　anything。〃
　We　slipped　through　the　entrance。
　The　current　was　extremely　sluggish；　and　we　barely　seemed　to　move。　Still　we　went　forward。
　〃If　we　only　had　a　little　speed　we　could　stand　it；〃　Harry　grumbled。
　Which　shows　that　a　man　does　not　always　appreciate　a　blessing。
　It　was　not　long　before　we　were　offering　up　thanks　that　our　speed　had　been　so　slight。
　To　be　exact；　about　an　hour；　as　well　as　I　could　measure　time；　which　passed　slowly；　for　not　only　were　the　minutes　tedious；　but　the　foulness　of　the　air　made　them　also　extremely　unfortable。
　Desiree　was　again　lying　down；　half…unconscious　but　not　asleep；　for　now　and　then　she　spoke　drowsily。　Harry　plained　of　a　dizziness　in　the　head；　and　my　own　seemed　ready　to　burst　through　my　temples。
　The　soroche　of　the　mountains　was　agreeable　pared　to　that。
　Suddenly　the　swiftness　of　the　current　increased　appreciably　on　the　instant；　there　was　a　swift　jerk　as　we　were　carried　forward。　I　rose　to　my　knees…the　tunnel　was　too　low　to　permit　of　standing…and　gazed　intently　ahead。　I　could　see　nothing　save　that　the　stream　had　narrowed　to　half　its　former　width；　and　was　still　being　narrower。
　We　went　faster　and　faster；　and　the　stream　narrowed　until　the　bank　was　but　a　few　feet　away　on　either　side。
　〃Watch　the　stern！〃　I　called　to　Harry。　〃Keep　her　off　with　your　spear！〃
　Then　a　wall　loomed　up　directly　ahead。　I　thought　it　meant　another　bend　in　the　stream；　and　I　strained　my　eyes　intently　in　the　effort　to　discover　its　direction；　but　I　could　see　nothing　save　the　black　wall。　We　approached　closer；　I　shouted　to　Harry　and　Desiree　to　brace　themselves　for　a　shock；　praying　that　the　raft　would　meet　the　rock　squarely　and　not　on　a　corner。
　I　had　barely　had　time　to　set　myself　and　grasp　the　straps　behind　when　we　struck　with　terrific　force。　The　raft　rebounded　several　feet；　trembling　and　shaking　violently。　The　water　was　rushing　past　us　with　noisy　impetuosity。
　There　was　a　cry　from　Desiree；　and　from　Harry；　〃All　right！〃　I　crawled　to　the　bow。　Along　the　top　the　hide　covering　had　been　split　open　for　several　feet；　but　the　water　did　not　quite　reach　the　opening。
　And　we　had　reached　the　end　of　our　ambitious　journey。　For　that　black　wall　marked　the　finish　of　the　tunnel；　the　stream　entered　it　through　a　narrow　hole；　which　accounted　for　the　sudden；　swift　rush　of　the　current。　Above　the　upper　rim　of　the　hole　the　surface　of　the　water　whirled　about　in　a　widening　circle；　to　this　had　we　been　led　by　the　stream　that　was　to　have　carried　us　to　the　land　of　sunshine。
　When　I　told　Desiree　she　stared　at　me　in　silence！　I　had　not　realized　before　the　strength　of　her　hope。　Speechless　with　disappointment；　she　merely　sat　and　stared　straight　ahead　at　the　black；　unyielding　rock。　Harry　knelt　beside　her　with　his　arm　across　her　shoulders。
　I　roused　him　with　a　jerk　of　the　arm。
　〃e…get　busy！　A　few　hours　in　this　hole　and　we'd　suffocate。
　Do　you　realize　that　we've　got　to　pull　this　raft　back　against　the　current？〃
　First　it　was　necessary　to　repair　the　rent　in　the　hide　covering。　This　we　did　with　strips　of　hide；　and　barely　in　time；　for　it　was　being　wider　every　minute；　and　the　water　was　beginning　to　creep　in　over　the　edge。　But　we　soon　had　the　ends　sewed　firmly　together　and　turned　our　hands　to　the　main　task。
　It　appeared　to　be　not　only　difficult；　but　actually　impossible　to　force　the　raft　back　up…stream　against　the　swift　current。　We　were　jammed　against　the　rock　with　all　the　force　of　many　tons　of　water。　The　oar　was　useless。
　Getting　a　purchase　on　the　wall　with　our　hands；　we　shoved　the　raft　to　one　side；　but　as　soon　as　we　got　to　the　wall　on　the　left　the　whirling　stream　turned　us　around　again；　and　we　found　ourselves　back　in　our　original　position；　only　with　a　different　side　of　the　raft　against　the　rock。　That　happened　three　times。
　Then　we　tried　working　to　the　right　instead　of　the　left；　but　with　no　better　success。　The　force　of　the　current；　ing　with　all　its　speed　against　the　unwieldy　raft；　was　irresistible。　Time　and　again　we　shoved　round　and　started　upstream；　after　incredible　labor；　only　to　be　dashed　back　again　against　the　rock。
　We　tried　our　spears；　but　their　shafts　were　so　slender　that　they　were　useless。　We　took　the　oar　and；　placing　its　end　against　the　wall；　shoved　with　all　our　strength。　The　oar　snapped　in　two　and　we　fell　forward　against　the　wall。　We　tore　off　some　of　the　strips　of　hide　from　the　raft　and　tried　to　fasten　them　to　the　wall　on　either　side；　but　there　was　no　protuberance　that　would　hold　them。
　Nothing　remained　to　be　done。
　Harry　and　I　held　a　consultation　then　and　agreed　on　the　only　possible　means　of　escape。　I　turned　to　Desiree：
　〃Can　you　swim？〃
　〃Parfaitement；〃　she　replied。　〃But　against　that〃…pointing　to　the　whirling　water…〃I　do　not　know。　I　can　try。〃
　I；　who　remember　the　black　fury　of　that　stream　as　it　swept　past　us；　can　appreciate　the　courage　of　her。
　We　lost　no　time；　for　the　foulness　of　the　air　was　weakening　us　with　every　breath　we　took。　Our　preparations　were　few。
　The　two　spears　and　about　half　of　the　provisions　we　strapped　to　our　backs…an　inconsiderable　load　which　would　hamper　us　but　little。
　We　discarded　all　our　clothing；　which　was　very　little。　I　took　the　heavy　skin　which　Desiree　had　worn　and　began　to　strap　it　also　on　top　of　my　bundle；　but　she　refused　to　allow　it。
　〃I　will　not　permit　you　to　be　handicapped　with　my　modesty；〃　she　observed。
　Then；　with　Desiree　between　us；　we　stepped　to　th