She pointed to a towed rowboat.
“It’s one of my grandfather’s boats. I was supposed to row all of the way to the island. He told me to. But I—I became frightened, and in my fright I lost my strength. It was so lonely and spooky on the canal.… I could hear things splash in the water. Then, when I was about to give up, unable to go farther, I came to your boat. Oh!… You can’t imagine how glad I was. For I knew you would help me.”
I saw how white she was. [[115]]
“Here,” I offered quickly, “let me take the tiller.”
“What kind of help do you want?” Scoop inquired, when the girl had dropped into a seat on a box.
She didn’t make an immediate reply.
“Do you know where Oak Island is?” she spoke finally, lifting her face.
Scoop nodded.
“I have been sent there, in the dark, to bury this,” and she pointed to a brass box at her feet.
We stretched our necks at the indicated box, visible in the lantern’s light.