To me the calm river seemed an amazing haven from every danger that we had encountered outside. But not so to Matterson.
Looking back at the thundering breakers, he thoughtfully shook his head.
"Well," said Gleazen significantly, "if worst comes to worst, we can fight."
"If worst comes to worst."
"Well?"
Matterson shook himself like a dog. "It's the niggers," he said in a low voice. "If them infernal witch doctors get wind of us!"
Gleazen stared a long time into the mangroves.
"It ain't as if we could take an army," Matterson continued. "We've got to take only them we know—know, mind you. What'd our lives be worth if all these here—" he waved his hand at the crew forward—"if all these here knew. It would pay 'em well to knock us on the head."
Still Gleazen stared silently into the tangled swamp.