haps the most
critical moment of the enterprise; for although they had thus far seen
no one there was no doubt that many men were sleeping aboard the various
craft in the harbour, and the slightest suspicious sound might awaken
somebody and at once cause an alarm to be raised. Still, a certain
amount of risk had to be run, and George decided to take it at once.
The sailing-boat was therefore skilfully manoeuvred to the middle of the
harbour, her bows turned up stream by a few quick strokes of an oar, and
then, with the observance of the utmost precaution, her single sail was
set with only a very slight momentary rustling of the loosened canvas.
A few seconds later the halyard was made fast, the sheet was trimmed
aft, and the boat, with the string of seven in tow astern, began to move
slowly and silently up the stream.

To George it seemed as though that short voyage would never end, for by
the time that they had secured the full number of boats required, the
adventurers had drifted nearly a mile down the harbour, and the whole of
that distance, and something more, had to be retraced before they could
consider themselves safe from discovery, while it was practically
certain that if so much as a single person should get sight of them the
alarm would at once be raised; for the spectacle of a sailing-boat with
seven rowing boats in tow proceeding up the river at that hour would be
sufficiently remarkable to instantly arouse suspicion. But after some
twenty-five minutes of tense anxiety the little flotilla rounded a bend
in the stream and the worst of the danger was past, while another twenty
minutes brought them up abreast the bamboo clump where their comrades
and the Cimarrones were anxiously awaiting them.

And now all was bustle and activity; the boats were brought alongside
the bank of the stream, and while their captors scrambled ashore and
hastily resumed their clothing, armour, and weapons, the other
contingent, assisted by the Cimarrones, carefully stowed their
belongings in varying proportions in the several row-boats. By the time
that this was done, their companions were once more clothed, and all was
ready for a start. Then fervent farewells were exchanged between the
English and the Cimarrones, Lukabela faithfully promising to keep an eye
upon the _Nonsuch_ and see that nothing untoward happened to her during
the absence of her crew, while George on his part as faithfully promised
that, upon his return, his