"He had, then, no reason to be impatient, for we have got here three hours too soon."
"What shall we do?" asked Michel. "My responsibility is so great I dare not act by myself."
"We must take a boat and look for the ship. As the captain is aware we know his anchorage, very likely he expects us to go to him."
Michel went a few hundred feet toward Pèlerin and found a boat made fast to the shore. Evidently, it had been lately used, for the oars, which were lying in the bottom of it, were still wet. He came back with the news to his companions, asking them to go back into their hiding-place while he crossed the river.
"Do you know how to row?" asked Petit-Pierre.
"I own to you," replied Michel, blushing for his ignorance, "that I am not very good at it."
"Then," said Petit-Pierre, "we will go with you. I will steer the boat; many a time I have done that in the bay of Naples for amusement."
"And I'll help him to row," said Mary. "My sister and I often row over the lake of Grand-Lieu."
All three embarked. When they reached the middle of the river Petit-Pierre, looking forward in the direction of the current, cried out:--
"There she is! there she is!"