"Yes, I thought so," said Stump, and he began to cry out again.
"Help, help!"
This time there was no mistake. A human voice clearly responded through the darkness.
Stump lifted himself as high out of the water as he could, and taking a look, fell back exhausted, clinging desperately to the oar.
"Did you see anything?" asked Mont anxiously.
"Yes; don't talk, sir; we want all our strength."
There was a hopeful ring in his voice which inspired Mont, who, however, fancied he heard the boy sigh almost directly afterward.
He thought of the monster. Was it still near them? But, if so, whence came the voice?
They began to swim with all the strength they had left, and after some minutes of continued exertion, for moving was a painful task in their state, Stump spoke again.
"Are you far off?" he said.