and they agreed to pull along at a
short distance from the shore until it turned. As soon as it did so the
vessels at anchor would be getting up sail to make up to the landing
place, and even had anyone on board noticed the boat put out, and had
been watching it, they would have other things to think about.

"It is some time since we last rowed in a boat together, Tony."

"About three years, sah; dat time when you get me safe away. I had a bad
fright dat day you left me, sah. It came on to blow bery hard, and some
ob de men told me dat dey did not tink you would ever get back to shore.
Dat made me awful bad, sah; and me wish ober and ober again dat me hab
died in de forest instead of your taking me off in a boat and trowing
away your life. I neber felt happy again, sah, till I got your letter up
in Canady, and knew you had got back safe dat day."

"We had a narrow squeak of it, Tony, and were blown some distance up. We
were nearly swamped a score of times, and Dan quite made up his mind
that it was all up with us. However, we got through safe, and I don't
think a soul except perhaps Jackson and that rascally overseer of ours,
who afterward had a hand in carrying off your wife, and lost his life in
consequence, ever had a suspicion we had been doing more than a long
fishing expedition. I will tell you all about it when we are going
through the woods. Now I think it's pretty nearly dead water, and we
will begin to edge across."

CHAPTER XX.

THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.

Vincent directed his course so that, while the boat's head was still
pointing up the stream, and she was apparently moving in the same
direction as the ships, she was gradually getting out to the middle of
the river. Had he tried to row straight across, suspicion might at once
have been excited. In half an hour they were in the middle of the
stream. A vessel passing under full sail swept along at a distance of a
hundred yards, and they were hailed. Vincent merely waved his hand and
continued his course.

"I dare say those fellows wonder what we are up to, Tony; but they are
not likely to stop to inquire. In another quarter of an hour we shall be
pretty safe. Ah! there's a fellow who might interfere with us," he
added, looking round. "Do you see that little black thing two miles
ahead of us? That's a steam launch. If she sees us making over, she's
likely enough to come and ask us some questions. We had better head a
little more toward the shore