Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/493

AN ANXIOUS VOYAGE. 4^5 natives, gesticulatîng vîolently, were seen squattîng on the pilework ; a few moments more and their voîces could be heard ; ît was obvious that they had seen the floatîng mass ; apprehending that it was goîng to destroy their nets, they yelled aloud and shouted for assistance ; în- stantly five or six negroes scrambled down the piles, and pcrched themselves upon the cross-beams. On board the canoë the profoundest silence was main- taîned. Dick only signalled his directions to Hercules, without uttering a word, while Jack performed his part by holding Dingo's mouth tightly closed, to stop the low growlings which the faithful watch-dog seemed resolved to make ; but fortunately every sound was overpowered by the rushing of the stream and the clamour of the negroes, as they hurriedly drew in their nets. If they should raise them in time, all might be well, but if, on the other hand, the canoë should get entangled, the conséquences could hardly fail to be disastrous. The current in its narrow channel was so strong that Dick was powerless either to modify his course or to slacken it Half a minute more, and the canoë was right under the woodwork, but the efforts of the natives had already elevated the nets so that the anticipatcd danger was happily escaped ; but it chanced that in making its way through the obstacle, a large pièce of the grass-thatch got detached. One of the negroes raised a sudden shout of alarm, and it seemed only too probable that he had caught a sight of the travellers below and was înforming his companions. This appréhension, too, was only momentary ; the current had changed almost to a rapîd, and carried the canoë along with such velocity that the lacustrîne village was quickly out of sight. " Steer to the left ! " crîed Dick, findîng that the rîver- bed had again become clear. A stiff pull at the tiller made the craft fly in that direction. Dick went tô the stern, and scanned the moonlit waters. Ail was perfectly still, no canoë was in pursuit ; perhapîî the natives had not çne to use ; but certain it was that H h