If he sees another boat (there are half a dozen on this side of the lake) putting off after us, he has orders to fire, on the chance of our hearing him.
A little notion of mine, sir, to prevent our being surprised in the fog.
Do you see any objection to it ?' Objection! In the days when diplomacy was something more than a solemn pretense, what a member of Congress that gardener would have made! Well, we shipped our oars, and away we went.

Not quite haphazard--for we had a compass with us.

Our course was as straight as we could go, to a village on the opposite side of the lake, called Brightfold.

Nothing happened for the first quarter of an hour--and then, by the living Jingo (excuse my vulgarity), we heard the gun!" "What did you do ?" "Went on rowing, and held a council.

This time I came out as the clever one of the party.