“But,” said the hunter deeming it best to check her exuberance, “we haven’t reached that point yet.”
“Of course not, but we soon shall. How brightly the moon shines! It is almost as light as day.”
“It is not going to last,” said Napyank, “there are clouds coming up in the sky, and it will not be long before we are in the darkness. Hello? Smith there has discovered something. What is it, Smith?”
“Look over the side of the boat,” said the elder, making a desperate effort to break his reticence.
The hunter did so, and instantly detected the head of a man on the surface of the water, approaching the boat.
“I ought to have seen that,” he said catching up his rifle. “There is a man swimming out to us. I say, you,” he called, addressing the individual in the river, “What is it you want?”
The man puffing and blowing, continued rapidly to near the vessel, but made no reply. The hunter raised his rifle in a significant manner.
“Don’t shoot,” admonished McGowan, “one man can do no harm.”
All were now crowding toward the gunwale, when Napyank requested them to keep back. A moment later, the form in the water had reached the flat-boat and now called out,
“Would yees have the onspakable kindness to lower a rope jist, and assist a gintleman on board?”