"Tisn't much wider some places, but the Ark will squeeze through 'most anywhere."
It would not, indeed, have required much of a flood to float a skiff of that size; but she was a pretty one, and it was no work at all for two stout boys of from twelve to thirteen years of age to "pole her along." There was not enough water where they now were to encourage the use of oars, but a pair of them lay in the stern, beside the fishing-poles and the bait and luncheon.
The day was one of those truly wonderful Saturdays that come to country boys in summer, and Mort Hopkins and Quill Sanders had all but slighted their breakfasts to get the early start they were now so pleased with.
"Mort, if Taponican Creek runs out of Pawg Lake, we'll find the place where it does."
"Guess we will. It's there, somewhere."
"We won't stop to fish along."
"No, sir! Not one of the boys knows where we're going."
"If they'd ha' known, they'd all have come, and chucked the Ark jam-full."
Mere passengers were not wanted on board of a ship that was clearly bound on a voyage of discovery. Extra cargo of any kind would have been bad for the fortunes of such a vessel.