"Look!" the German replied, as he stretched out his arm in the direction whence they had come.
"Sacrebleu!" Leon shouted; "two canoes in pursuit of us! We must look out."
"Sangre de Cristo!" Giacomo said, with a start which nearly upset the canoe.
"What now?" Leon asked.
"Look!"
"A thousand fiends!" Leon exclaimed, "we are surrounded!"
Two canoes were really coming up rapidly behind the smugglers, while two others, which had started from the opposite banks, were arriving with the manifest intention of barring their passage and cutting off their retreat.
"These gentlemen," said Giacomo, "wish to make us dance a funny sambacueca; what do you say to it, captain?"
"We will pay for their music, my fine fellows. In the meanwhile, paddle firmly, and look out for the attack."
And seizing the paddles again, Wilhelm and Giacomo gave such an impulse to the canoe that it seemed to fly through the water. Leon, who was standing up, was calculating the chances of the encounter. He was not afraid of the boats that were following them, for they were still at too great a distance to hope to catch him, but all his anxiety was directed to those coming toward them, and between which they must infallibly pass. Each paddle stroke brought them nearer to the hostile canoes, which seemed overloaded with men, and to move with considerable difficulty.