If they catch us, death will be our certain doom.

Are you prepared ?" "Ready!" whispered Nigel.
Without another word the hermit took his place in the bow of the canoe.
Moses stepped into the stern, and our hero sat down in the middle.
Before pushing off, the hermit drew a revolver and a cutlass from his store-room in the bow and handed them to Nigel, who thrust the first into his belt and fastened the other to the deck by means of a strap fixed there on purpose to prevent its being rolled or swept off.

This contrivance, as well as all the other appliances in the canoe, had previously been pointed out and explained to him.

The hermit and negro having armed themselves in similar way, let go the bushes which held them close to the bank and floated out into the stream.

They let the canoe drift down a short way so as to be well concealed by the bend in the river and a mass of bushes.