Now that he was ashore Thad assisted in getting the wood down to the edge of the water.
Here some of it was fastened to a spare rope which could be carried out to the floating boat, when the firewood might be hauled aboard.
Thad paddled out first, so as to draw the laden dinghy after him; then Maurice used the second rope to get it back ashore, loaded it with the results of his chopping, after which the other did his part.
In this fashion the entire amount of fuel was finally taken aboard.
"I think we have enough to last us for some time now," remarked Maurice, after he had in the end allowed Thad to draw him out just as the cargoes of wood had been taken aboard.
And as Thad once more pushed a couple of shells into the chambers of the little old Marlin he shook his head, observing:
"I'd hate to think what would have happened if I'd just missed that ugly customer when I pulled those triggers. For he was coming at me like a house afire, and with blood in his eyes. But, I didn't, all the same, and what's the use bothering over it? Is the storm going down any, d'ye think, Maurice?"
But Maurice could not say that it was in the least.