“Oh, come,” said Shaddy in a more agreeable tone, “that’s the best thing we’ve heard you say yet, Mr Jovanni. That’s where my teaching comes out, but don’t you never say a word to me again about your seamanship!”
“But you are keeping him from telling us how he came and saved us just as he did in the nick of time, Shaddy,” said Rob.
“All right, sir, all right! won’t say another word,” cried the old sailor querulously, “only don’t let him get bragging no more about his seamanship and management of a crew.”
“I never will, Shaddy, and I hope I shall never be placed in such a predicament again.”
“How did you manage to get up the river?” asked Rob.
“Oh, that was easy enough as soon as the flood came; we should never have got to you without; but as soon as the land was all flooded, I found that we could get right away from the swift stream and keep along at a distance, poling generally. Then we were able to take short cuts across the bends. We did get caught now and then and swept back a bit, but every day we made a good many miles, and at last as we were rowing steadily on over the flooded land, which is a good deal more open below, we neared the opening, and thought it was a good deal altered; but the men said I was wrong. I felt sure that I was right, and had just come to the conclusion that you must all have been swept away and drowned, when I heard the hail, and you are all safe once more.”