Doubtless his moral lesson was not duly appreciated, for the lads were in no mood for sermons. The constantly changing scene about them, the sweep of the great waters, and the saluting of passing vessels, occupied the most of their time and held their undivided attention.
It was late in the afternoon when at last they perceived Alexandria Bay in the distance, and knew that they had almost arrived at the end of their voyage.
“It looks as if we might have a storm, fellows,” said Jock, pointing as he spoke to some heavy black clouds that could be seen in the distance.
“If it’ll hold off till we get back to camp we shan’t care,” replied Bert, lightly.
They were all so eager to land now that they had no disposition to stop and consider even the threatenings of the storm-clouds.
“Hello! There’s Ethan!” exclaimed Jock, as he obtained a glimpse of their boatman on the dock. “Perhaps he has his cat-boat with him. I’m sure I hope he has, for I don’t want to row back to camp, especially if it’s going to rain.”
As soon as they landed, Ethan greeted them, and without waiting to listen to the story of their experiences in the Longue Seaut, he said quickly, “Git aboard my boat, every one o’ ye. It’s goin’ to rain, an’ I want to land ye afore it begins. Git yer skiff an’ I’ll take it in tow, an’ we’ll start right off.”
Jock ran quickly to the place where his skiff had been left, and as he rowed around the corner of the dock to the cat-boat, Bert said, “Where’s Ben? He’ll have to get his canoe too.”
But Ben at first could not be found, and the anger of Ethan waxed strong. “That pesky boy is always the one to bother us. Where do ye s’pose he is?”
“There! there he is!” exclaimed Bob, pointing as he spoke toward a canoe which could be seen out on the river.