uldn't do, Sol," said Henry. "We're going to run past a battle, and
we mean to lie as low as possible."

Paul again steered, Henry sat, rifle in hand, and the others rowed. They
took a diagonal course across the stream once more, but this time toward
the eastern shore. They advanced slowly, hugging the dark. Fortunately
there was no moon and the dusk came close up to the boat.

"That's a right noisy fight," said Shif'less Sol, looking toward the
south, where pink and red spots of flame still appeared in the dark and
the rattling fire of rifle and musket grew louder.

"More noise than anything else," said Tom Ross, "but it keeps 'em pow'ful
busy an' that's a good thing fur us."

They were now near the flooded forest on the eastern shore, and they moved
slowly along in its shadow, still watching the distant battle. It
lightened a little, the rim of a moon came out, and they saw toward the
western bank the dark silhouettes of canoes moving back and forth on the
water. Flashes came from the canoes and returning flashes came from the
bank.

"Go it, Spaniard, go it, Injun, go it, one, go it, tother," muttered
Shif'less Sol again.

"The Galleon" slowly passed by in the darkness. The pink and red dots went
out and the sound of the rifle fire died behind hem. They could neither
see nor hear anything more of the battle, and all were of the opinion that
it would soon cease by a sort of mutual agreement of the contestants.

Paul once more turned the head of the boat toward the middle of the
stream, and she swung gaily into the current, where her speed soon
increased greatly.

"We can fix up our mast and hoist our sail now," said Henry. "Since there
is nobody to look, it won't hurt us to make speed for a while."

It required some time and exertion to put the mast in place and then they
unfurled the sail. They were rather clumsy about it from lack of
experience, but the tent cloth filled with the north wind, and "The
Galleon" leaped forward in the water, her broad nose parting the stream
swiftly, while the youthful hearts of Henry and Paul swelled with
exultation.

Shif'less Sol drew in his oars and bestowed upon the sail a look of deep
approval.

"That's the most glorious sight that hez met the eyes o' a tired man in a
year," he said. "Blow, Mr. Wind, blow! an' let me rest."

The others also rested, but Sol and Henry put all their attention upon the
boom and sail. They did not intend to be wrecked by ignorance or any