"I don't know what the skipper was
about to set us on this job. That's the worst of being a sailor. They
trains us up to 'bey orders directly they're guv, and we does them, but
one never knows how to be right. I oughter ha' told the old man as this
was more'n men could do; 'cause I half thought it were. But then I says
to myself, the skipper knows best; and here we are in a nice hole."

"A nice hole!" cried Rodd angrily. "Why, we shall be swept out to sea."

"Looks like it, sir--I mean seems."

"But why not make for the shore, where we could catch hold of some of
the overhanging branches?"

"I telled you, sir. 'Cause we should be capsized before we had time to
wink. Steady, my lads--steady! It's no use to pull, Mr Rodd; four
times as many of us couldn't stem a stream like this."

"Will they come down after us? Yes, my uncle is sure to."

"Not he, sir. It would be just about mad to try it, and our old man
will be so wild at being caught like this that he won't let him stir.
'Sides that, sir, what are you talking about? How are they to know we
have been swept away?"

"Because we don't come back, of course," cried Rodd angrily.

"That won't do, sir. Skipper knows, of course, after the way we went
off, that it's just impossible."

"But the Count will tell him."

"Too far off for shouting, sir. You take my word for it that the
skipper will make up his mind that we are stopping on board the brig
till the tide runs slack again. If anything's done it will be by the
Frenchies, and I don't believe they'll try."

"Oh, but the Count would. His son would make him."

"No, sir. The Count's a fine naval officer who has seen service, and he
knows too well what he's about to send a boat's crew swirling down this
river to go nobody knows where. The only folks as can help us is--"

"Yes--who?" cried Rodd, for the man broke off in his speech.

"Ourselves, sir; and we shall find it precious hard."

"That's right, Joe," said one of the other sailors. "Better speak out,
mate, and say the worst on it."

"Say it yourselves," cried Joe Cross roughly.

"Yes, speak out," cried Rodd. "What do you think?"

"We can do nothing, sir, but keep her head straight and go down with the
tide, doing all we can to keep from being sucked into the shore among
the trees."

"But look here, Joe, aren't we very close in now?" cried Rodd, who had
just noticed in the darkness that the sailor he addressed was leaning
over the