"Will you row us over to the other side?" asked Martine.
He paid no attention to them, but continued tying a knot in his rope. The question was repeated in a slightly different form, and still the old man made no answer.
"He must be deaf," said Angelina.
"Or the wind's blowing in the wrong direction," said Clare. "We must wait till he comes up to us."
When the old man approached, by signs and words they made him understand what they wished, and he smiled pleasantly when Clare put a dollar bill in his hand.
"It's worth it," she said in an aside to Martine. "If we cross with him, we shall save two hours on our homeward journey."
So the old man untied his boat, which was ample enough for the four, and the girls quickly took their places.
"I can't say that I like a deaf boatman," said Clare, "in case of an accident we might find it awkward that he can't hear."
"An accident!" exclaimed Martine, who seldom feared any unseen things; "there certainly could be no accident in this quiet water." Before they had gone very far, however, she began to change her mind. The breeze which they had noticed while they were on the landing, now seemed to be blowing violently, and despite its heavy freight the boat rocked violently; it not only rocked, but veered from its course. Martine held her breath, while the excitable Angelina began to scream.
"Hush! hush!" said Martine, "it's nothing."