The exclamation and the question were spoken in a whisper. Dick uttered the first; the second came from several of his companions.
“Close to the shore in that cove yonder.”
“What do you see?”
“Looks like the black hulk of a boat in the shadow of those thick palms.”
“It sure does look that way!” palpitated Buckhart.
“But it may be one of these river boats, don’t you know,” said Coddington. “They find many places where they swing in to the shore and tie up.”
“She shows no light,” said Colonel Stringer.
Dick spoke to the pilot.
“Can you run in there?” he asked. “We think we see a boat near the shore.”
The pilot explained that the river was quite deep there, such current as there was being thrown near the bank by its winding course. He sounded the bell for half speed and the steamer glided toward the deep shadows.