At dawn Bates came down the ladder again, and went out quietly.

The new day was fair, and calm; none of his fears were fulfilled.

The dead man might start upon his journey, and Bates knew that the start must be an early one.
He and Saul, taking long-handled oars and poles, went down to the water's edge, where a big, flat-bottomed boat was lying drawn up on the shore to avoid the autumn storms.

The stones of the beach looked black: here and there were bits of bright green moss upon them: both stones and moss had a coating of thin ice that glistened in the morning light.
It was by dint of great exertion that they got the clumsy vessel into the water and fastened her to a small wooden landing.

They used more strength than time in their work.