“But what?”
“He’d be quite sure not to take the boat up here.”
“Why not?”
“For fear we should come after it.”
“Get out! Where would he take it, then?”
“He’d hide it somewhere else; perhaps on the other side. Look!”
Dexter pointed up the river to where, about a couple of hundred yards further on, a boat could be seen just issuing from a bed of reeds.
Bob seized Dexter’s arm to force him lower down among the osiers, but it was not necessary, for they were both well concealed; and as they continued there watching it was to see the boat come slowly toward them, and in a few minutes they were satisfied that it was the man they sought, propelling it slowly toward where they stooped.
The fellow came along in a furtive manner, looking sharply round from time to time, as if scanning the river to see if he was observed.
He came on and on till he reached the creek at whose mouth the boys were hidden, and as he came so close that they felt it impossible that they could remain unseen he suddenly ceased rowing, and stood up to shade his eyes from the sunshine, and gaze sharply down the river for some minutes.