“The night won’t help us much, now the fire-boat is ablaze,” said Henry. For the conflagration cast a ruddy glare all around them.
The fire-boat had been located a short distance below Sillery Cove, where the St. Lawrence was a little over a mile wide. The tide, which had been high in the afternoon, was running out rapidly, and this carried both the fire-boat and the plank along with it. Thus the Indians who had shot the flaming arrows and the French soldiers who had given the alarm were soon left far behind.
Both Henry and Silvers tried to guide the plank towards the south bank of the river, but in this they were only partly successful. Yet it was a great satisfaction to both to see that they were getting further and further away from the shore of the enemy.
“If we are not careful we will be washed right out to sea,” said Henry, after a long spell of silence, in which they gazed back in the semi-darkness, to see if they were being pursued.
A short distance away was a broad-sterned brig.—Page 109.
“We are still a long distance from the ocean, lad,” responded Silvers.
“Are we close to Quebec?”
“A mile or two above it, I think.”
Another spell of silence followed, and then Henry let out a faint shout.