"Then you row along me," said Hi John. "Li Fu, he stop here."
Barnes growled something under his breath, and walked over to Li Fu.
"What's this mean?" he demanded. "You get in that boat and row, d'you understand?"
Li Fu regarded him placidly, without emotion, his yellow features very composed.
"You go hellee," he said, and then grinned. "My stop along you. Savvy? Missee plenty stlong, use oar plenty good! You go hellee."
What he saw in those calm eyes checked the words on the lips of Barnes. He turned and went to the boat, and waded out along the gunwale until he was beside the figure of Ellen Maggs. With an effort, he stooped and touched his lips to her still cheek.
"Good-by, girl!" he whispered, and then straightened. "Get the kids, Nora! Come on, pile in; time to get off! Get as far as you can before it gets dark. Wrap a cloth about your hands, too; they'll be blistered quick enough."
Collecting the children, Nora Sayers got into the boat. She held out her hand to Barnes, who gripped it and smiled cheerfully.
"Good-by," she said, her voice breaking. "I wish you'd let me wake her up! She'd want to say—
"She'd say I needed a shave damn bad," and Barnes chuckled as he made reply. "You settle down on this thwart. All ready, men? Shove off. Good luck to you, Nora! Wrap your hands, now, before you get started. See you later!"