Take hold here, boy, an' we 'll run this yere man-o-war outside, where we kin ship the rest o' her crew." The back-water rippling among the old piling was shallow, but the boat had little aboard and floated free, so that we worked it forward with little difficulty until we succeeded in rounding the slight promontory and held its bulging sides close against the mud wall.

Leaving Burns to keep it in place, I crept silently up the bank.
"Come!" I whispered, making my way to the side of Mademoiselle more by instinct than sight.

"The boat we sought is here and ready! I have even found a boatman to aid us, in the form of Ol' Burns, who, you remember, aided De Croix and me at the time of our famous race.

Let us waste no more of the night here, but do the rest of your talking in greater safety on the water." They came with me down to the edge of the stream without a word of protest.

I had taken Mademoiselle in my arms and lifted her slight form into the boat, when she turned suddenly, as it by an unrestrainable impulse, and held out her hands toward the dim figure of the silent girl who yet remained motionless several feet away.
"Marie!" she said, anxiously, "it may be wrong of me to urge it, but I beg you to think again in this grave matter.