efore we came here."

"Well, that's what we all thought before, Joe," cried Rodd pettishly.

"Wait, Rodney, my boy, and let Cross finish," said the doctor.

"I've about done, sir," said the man. "What Mr Rodd says is quite
true, but he aren't quite got what I mean. You see, sir, when we come
up here with the Spanish skipper aboard I sat astarn steering, and when
we went away again I had hold of the tiller once more, same as before."

"Well, we know that," said Rodd shortly. "Be silent, Rodney!" cried the
doctor. "Go on, Cross."

"Well, sir, when we come I was looking this 'ere way; when we started
back I was looking t'other way. Now it seems to me, now we are going to
start again, if instead of sitting astarn and looking straight forward,
if I was to go and sit right in the bows and left somebody else to steer
while I looked over his head, I should be looking up both sides of the
river just as it was when we were coming, and I should see the landmarks
again as I saw them when we were coming here, and consekently I should
know my way better, and I don't think I should miss the next
landing-place again."

"Yes, I see what you mean," cried Rodd excitedly. "Why, to be sure,
Joe! Don't you see, uncle?"

"Yes," cried the doctor. "Quite right, Cross. We will start at once,
going as slowly as we can, and we will, all but the steersman, ride
backwards, keep a sharp look-out, and help.--What's the matter, Morny?"

For the young Frenchman had suddenly started up in the boat, to stand
peering in the direction that they were about to take, and held up his
hand as if to command silence.

"What's that?" cried Rodd, leaping up too.

"What?" asked the doctor.

"Sounds like distant roaring of some kind of wild beast, sir," said one
of the men.

"That it aren't, messmate," said Joe, who had also risen to his feet,
and stood with his hand behind his ear. "It's another storm coming.
Nay, it aren't. It's all bright and clear that way. Why, it's water,
gentlemen, coming with a rush from just the way we want to go."

"Impossible!" cried the doctor. "Why, it would be against the stream."

"I don't care, sir, begging your pardon. I've been in the Trent and the
Severn and the Wye. It was only when I was a boy, but I recollect right
enough. It's what they used to call a bore, with a great wave of water
coming up the river like a flood and washing all before it."

"Had we better land?" cried the doctor.

"And lose