ke opening, which seemed to mark, in the air above,
the course of the river that flowed beneath, aided in augmenting the
appearance of the danger; for it was little more than sufficient to
render objects visible, without giving up all their outlines at a
glance. Although the sun had not absolutely set, it had withdrawn its
direct rays from the valley; and the hues of evening were beginning to
gather around objects that stood uncovered, rendering those within the
shadows of the woods still more sombre and gloomy.

No interruption followed the movement, however, and, as the men
continued to haul on the line, the ark passed steadily ahead, the great
breadth of the scow preventing its sinking into the water, and from
offering much resistance to the progress of the swift element beneath
its bottom. Hutter, too, had adopted a precaution suggested by
experience, which might have done credit to a seaman, and which
completely prevented any of the annoyances and obstacles which otherwise
would have attended the short turns of the river. As the ark descended,
heavy stones, attached to the line, were dropped in the centre of the
stream, forming local anchors, each of which was kept from dragging
by the assistance of those above it, until the uppermost of all was
reached, which got its "backing" from the anchor, or grapnel, that lay
well out in the lake. In consequence of this expedient, the ark floated
clear of the incumbrances of the shore, against which it would otherwise
have been unavoidably hauled at every turn, producing embarrassments
that Hutter, single-handed, would have found it very difficult to
overcome. Favored by this foresight, and stimulated by the apprehension
of discovery, Floating Tom and his two athletic companions hauled the
ark ahead with quite as much rapidity as comported with the strength
of the line. At every turn in the stream, a stone was raised from the
bottom, when the direction of the scow changed to one that pointed
towards the stone that lay above. In this manner, with the channel
buoyed out for him, as a sailor might term it, did Hutter move forward,
occasionally urging his friends, in a low and guarded voice, to increase
their exertions, and then, as occasions offered, warning them against
efforts that might, at particular moments, endanger all by too much
zeal. In spite of their long familiarity with the woods, the gloomy
character of the shaded river added to the uneasiness that each felt;
and w