o you know who?"

"Only what little Pete told me; the second agent is supposed to be a
preacher in Beardstown."

She asked no further questions, and after a moment turned away, resting
back against the edge of the cockpit with chin cupped in the hollow of
her hand. The profile of her face was clearly defined by the starlight
reflected by the river, and I found it hard to withdraw my eyes. A
movement by the negro attracted my attention.

"There is a small creek about four miles above the Landing, Sam," I
said shortly. "Do you think you can find it?"

"On de Missouri side, sah? Ah reckon Ah cud."

CHAPTER XIV

THE DAWN OF DEEPER INTEREST

It tested his skill as a boatman to locate the exact spot sought amid
that gloom, yet he finally attained to it closely enough so I was able
to get ashore, wading nearly thigh deep in water and mud, but only to
learn that the boat, which I had provisioned earlier in the evening,
had disappeared from its moorings. No trace of it could be found in
the darkness, although I devoted several minutes to the search. To my
mind this was positive evidence that Pete had returned, accompanied by
the two frightened women, and that, finally despairing of my arrival,
had departed with them up the river. In all probability we would
overhaul the party before morning, certainly before they could attain
the mouth of the Illinois. Their heavy rowboat would be compelled to
creep along close in shore to escape the grasp of the current, while
our engine gave us every advantage. I made my way back to the
keel-boat with this information, and the laboring engine began to chug
even while I was briefly explaining the situation to Rene. She
listened almost wearily, asking but few questions, and both of us soon
lapsed into silence. A little later she had pillowed her head on her
arms and apparently had fallen asleep.

I must have dozed, myself, as the hours passed, although hardly aware
of doing so. The soft, continuous chugging of the engine, the swash of
water alongside, the ceaseless sweep of the current, and the dark gloom
of the shadows through which we struggled, all combined to produce
drowsiness. I know my eyes were closed several times, and at last they
opened to a realization that gray, sickly dawn rested upon the river
surface. It was faint and dim, a promise more than a realization of
approaching day, yet already sufficient to afford me view of the shore
at our right, and to