It required severe shaking, his sleep being that of sheer exhaustion, yet he proved sufficiently a trained soldier to obey instantly my signal for silence.

Nor were words needed to explain the reason, as by this time the sound of oars was clearly audible.

Suddenly some one spoke, apparently at our very side.

Lying as I was I noticed the shawl pushed hastily down from Madame's face, her brown eyes gazing questioningly across into my own; yet, with rare self-control, not so much as a limb quivered.
"I tell you, _padre_, there's nothing along this cursed cane-marsh," growled a deep rumbling voice in Spanish.

"It is a mere bog, in which a man would sink to his armpits, were he to venture outside the boat." "Bog it may be," retorted a sharper, petulant voice, the sound of which was oddly familiar, "but I tell you this, Senor, 'tis on this very shore French gallants come hunting from New Orleans.