A great joy leaped up in her when the first canoe came under her hand.
It was quite easy to manipulate the painter-rope. The stem had a
notched knob provided for this very purpose, and there was a stern-post
against which a steersman might press a paddle and thus swerve the
canoe in any direction. But it was slow work. The craft were moored
without any semblance of order, yet Suarez was forced to secure them in
a definite sequence, or a string of half-a-dozen would become
unmanageable.
When the second canoe was made fast Gray bent towards the girl once
more.
"I have been listening to the tick of my watch," he breathed against
her ear. "I reckon it has taken ten minutes to collect two dug-outs.
Unless we mean to remain all night we must let up on the cutting adrift
proposition."
"I agree," she murmured. "But we must have two more."
He told Suarez of the new development, which was essential, though it
added to the danger of the enterprise. By sheer good fortune, however,
they blundered against the life-boat. A dog barked, and Elsie had a
thrilling struggle with Joey, who was furious that this unlooked-for
insolence should go unanswered.
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