“What I’m the most afeard of,” said Napyank, “is that they’ll hear the creaking of the oars. The night is very still, and such a racket as they would make, a noise you could hear a half mile.”
“Be the same token don’t let ’em make any noise,” was the brilliant suggestion of Teddy O’Donnell.
“Easier said than done. Then the splashing wo’d make; that would be just as bad.”
“Can’t we work into shore gradually?” inquired or rather suggested McGowan. “We can dip the oars very quietly and work them with great care.”
“I can’t hardly think what to do,” said the hunter in some perplexity. “I think, howsumever, we’ll go ahead for the present.”
“But the island.”
“That is the only thing that troubles me.”
“Most likely the current will drift us by that.”
“I hope it will, but it is powerful onsartin.”
After some further consideration, it was concluded that it would be best to glide onward as they were doing at present, keeping in the meantime, as close a watch as was possible under the circumstances for the island that they all had so much reason to fear.