For no assignable reason, the suddenness of this resolve seemed to startle the others.
“Have you made up your mind, then, that the channel is practicable!” inquired Sturgess after a marked pause.
“The only channel we know is practicable,” said Maseden.
“Do you mean that we should return the way we came?” put in Nina in an awed tone.
“It offers our only means of escape,” was the grave answer. “To my mind, if we attempt the southern exit we go to certain death. We have a roomy boat, a sail, and oars. By putting off slightly before high water we can reach the mouth of the gorge just on the turn of the tide. I think we can get through without any real difficulty, and even beach our boat in the open and shallow channel of Hanover Island which we were making for when the raft was swept out o
