第72章

A minute later Dan rode past, and Vincent called him and told him they were going to start.

"Shall we take do horses, sah?"

"No, Dan.We are going to carry out our original plan of crossing the river in a boat, and I think the horses would be rather in our way than not.But you had better not leave them here.Take them to the farther side of the clearing and get them through the fence into the forest, then strike across as quickly as you can and join us where we were stopping to-day.Miss Kingston and her servant are going with us.They cannot stay here after what has taken place."Dan at once rode off with the two horses, and the others walked across to the edge of the clearing and waited until he rejoined them.

"Now, Miss Kingston, you must be our guide at present.""We must cross the road first," the girl said."Nearly opposite to where we are there is a little path through the wood leading straight down to the river.The boat lies only a short distance from it."The path was a narrow one, and it was very dark under the trees.

"Mind how you go," Vincent said as the girl stepped lightly on ahead."You might get a heavy fall if you caught your foot on a root."She instantly moderated her pace."I know the path well, but it was thoughtless of me to walk so fast.I forgot you did not know it, and if you were to stumble you might hurt your arm terribly.

How does it feel now?"

"It certainly hurts a bit," Vincent replied in a cheerful tone; "but now it is strapped tightly to me it cannot move much.Please do not worry about me.""Ah!" she said, "I cannot forget how you got it-how you attacked twelve men to save me!""Still less can I forget, Miss Kingston, how you, a young girl, confronted death rather than say a word that would place me in their power.""That was quite different, Mr.Wingfield.My own honor was pledged not to betray you, who had trusted me.""Well, we will cry quits for the present, Miss Kingston; or, rather, we will be content to remain for the present in each other's debt."A quarter of an hour's walking brought them to the river.

"Now," Lucy said, "we must make our way about ten yards through these bushes to the right."With some difficulty they passed through the thick screen of bushes, the girl still leading the way.

"Here it is," she said; "I have my hand upon it." Vincent was soon beside her, and the negroes quickly joined them.

"There are no oars in the boat," Vincent said, feeling along the seat.

"Oh! I forgot! They are stowed away behind the bushes on the right; they were taken out, so that if the Yankees found the boat it would be of no use to them."Dan made his way through the bushes, and soon found the oars.

Then uniting their strength they pushed the boat through the high rushes that screened it from the river.

"It is afloat," Vincent said."Now, Dan, take your place in the bow."I will row, Mr.Wingfleld.I am a very good hand at it.So please take your seat with Chloe in the stern.""Dan can take one oar, anyhow," Vincent replied; "but I will let you row instead of me.I am afraid I should make a poor hand of it with only one arm."The boat pushed quietly out.The river was about a hundred yards wide at this point.They had taken but a few strokes when Vincent said:

"You must row hard, Miss Kingston, or we shall have to swim for it.The water is coming through the seams fast."The girl and Dan exerted themselves to the utmost; but, short as was the passage, the boat was full almost to the gunwale before they reached the opposite bank, the heat of the sun having caused the planks to open during the months it had been lying ashore.

"This is a wet beginning," Lucy Kingston said laugh as she tried to wring the water out of the lower part of her dress."Here, Chloe;you wring me and I will wring you.""Now, Dan, get hold of that head-rope," Vincent said; "haul her up little by little as the water runs out over the stern.""I should not trouble about the boat, Mr.Wingfield; it is not likely we shall ever want it again.""I was not thinking of the boat; I was thinking of ourselves.If it should happen to be noticed at the next bridge as it drifted down, it would at once suggest to any one on the lookout for us that we had crossed the river; whereas, if we get it among the bushes here, they will believe that we are hidden in the woods or have headed back to the north, and we shall be a long way across the line, I hope, before they give up searching for us in the woods on the other side.""Yes; I didn't think of that.We will help you with the rope."The boat was very heavy, now that it was full of water.Inch by inch it was pulled up, until the water was all out except near the stern.Dan and Vincent then turned it bottom upward, and it was soon hauled up among the bushes.