"All I remember. Except he said his father fought with Sigel and always claimed that Halleck framed him. I don't know whether he did or not, but I said I'd speak about it some time and see if I could find out. You wouldn't happen to know yourself, would you?"
The man glared suspiciously. Rosalind turned her face away and began dabbling one hand in the water, over the side of the boat.
"Well, I guess we'll take you up to Kingston," said the spokesman after a minute of deliberation. "There are a few things that need looking into."
Sam glanced about him casually.
"Not now you won't," he observed as he proceeded to refill his pipe. "We've crossed the line."
The man made a swift survey of the river and the islands and uttered an angry exclamation.
"You see, you talked too much," added the boatman deferentially. "You talked so long that we drifted over into American water. If you try to take me now they'll send a battleship after me, or an ultimatum, or something else just as bad."
There was a hurried consultation among the four strangers, with evidences of disagreement. It ended when the man in command turned upon Sam with a stern visage.
"Hereafter," he said, "you enter Canadian waters or ports at your own risk. In the name of the English government I warn you. I also authorize you to extend the same warning to the man Heinrich Schmidt. If he is found north of the international boundary-line let him look out for himself. That applies to you, your boat, and any passengers you may have aboard."
Marjorie Winter turned pale.