“Oh, no. Get ashore as soon as we can, and follow the stream right up to the lake.”
“It’s going to be a hot walk, my lad, and—”
“Hist! Look, Bob. Here, doctor, look! look!”
Both looked in the indicated direction, to see that the raft was on its way to glide by a turtle basking in the hot sunshine and apparently fast asleep.
“We’re not going to fish,” whispered Carey, “but we ought to have that.”
“Yes,” said the doctor, and Bostock was evidently of the same opinion, for he bent down softly to pick up a little coil of fine rope to make a noose at one end.
“You just make the other end fast to one of the planks, sir,” he whispered. “He’ll make a big rush as soon as he feels the rope.”
Bostock crept forward softly and knelt down ready, with the raft gliding right for the sleeping reptile.
Then both the doctor and Carey held their breath with excitement, as the old sailor reached out, slipped the noose over one of the fins, and then started back deluged with water dashed up by the startled creature, which rushed off with all its might till it was brought up short by the line coming to an end.
At this there was a violent jerk, the raft was drawn out of its course and began to move at increased speed in the direction of the opening in the great reef, the prisoner making for the open sea.