CHAPTER XXI
A VAGUE HINT
“Go ahead it is,” responded the skipper. “I can be ready in five minutes. Can you?”
“We’re ready now,” said John quickly.
“You know how it is,” said the captain. “Most always the passengers, if they want anything to eat on the way, put it on board before we start.”
“Well, we cannot get anything to eat,” said Fred. “We told you why.”
“So you did. So you did,” said the captain again speaking in his high nasal tones. “Still I guess we’ll be hungry before night. Maybe I can find something. You boys wait here until I go up the street and I’ll be back in a few minutes.” When he had thus spoken the ungainly man took a basket on his arm and at once set forth on his errand.
Left to themselves the boys went on board the strange craft and the hasty inspection they made did not increase their confidence either in the boat or in its owner.
“It’s about the only way there is,” said John at last, “and we’ve got to take it. It’s Hobson’s choice. We can’t stay here and we can’t get passage on the big boats so we’ll have to put up with what we can get.”
“Next week,” said Fred lightly, “we’ll all be laughing about it. I wouldn’t mind this adventure at all if I was sure Grant and George are all right. Every time I think of them I’m worried when I remember what you and I went through. If that boat hadn’t come along just as it did we might be at the bottom of Lake Huron.”
“Well, we are not there,” said John quickly. “The fact is we are here and we wish we weren’t. If the other fellows were along with us I would like to go out yonder and shoot those rapids,” he said pointing toward the swift rapids that were not far away. Even while he was speaking a skiff, guided by an Indian, came swiftly through the tossing waters and approached the shore not far from the place where the boys were seated.