In fact, the boat had drifted down nearer to the rapids than they ought to have allowed it to go.

The water was running quite swiftly where they were, and they soon found that all their efforts were not sufficient to stem the current.

The boat was carried round and round in every direction, excepting up the stream.

In fact the current was rapidly acquiring the entire mastery over them, and hurrying them down to a point where the water poured on in a furious torrent through a long narrow passage between beds of stone and gravel.
"Pull, boys, pull!" said Marco; "we shall go down over the rips in spite of every thing." The boys did pull, but they could effect nothing.

The water was sweeping them along with great rapidity, notwithstanding all their struggles.