The captain, also provided with a pole, stood in the stern.
The snow had ceased, but the air felt sharp and cold as it came down from the hills, which were all thickly covered.
"So there is an end of the snow, for the present, captain," he said, as he pushed aside the curtain of reeds that closed the stern of the covered portion, and joined him.
"Yes.

I am not altogether sorry, for we can see where we are going.
We shall keep on, now, until we are through the defile." "But there is no moon, captain." "No, but we can tell pretty well, by the depth of water, where we are; and can manage to keep in the middle of the current.

There are no obstructions there to affect us, though in some places there are plenty of ugly rocks near the shore.

However, if we have luck we shall be through before midnight, and shall pass all the worst points before sunset." The day passed, indeed, without adventure of any kind.

The journey was highly interesting to Fergus, for the scenery was very picturesque.