But--"

"But what?"

"He'd be quite sure not to take the boat up here."

"Why not?"

"For fear we should come after it."

"Get out! Where would he take it, then?"

"He'd hide it somewhere else; perhaps on the other side. Look!"

Dexter pointed up the river to where, about a couple of hundred yards
further on, a boat could be seen just issuing from a bed of reeds.

Bob seized Dexter's arm to force him lower down among the osiers, but it
was not necessary, for they were both well concealed; and as they
continued there watching it was to see the boat come slowly toward them,
and in a few minutes they were satisfied that it was the man they
sought, propelling it slowly toward where they stooped.

The fellow came along in a furtive manner, looking sharply round from
time to time, as if scanning the river to see if he was observed.

He came on and on till he reached the creek at whose mouth the boys were
hidden, and as he came so close that they felt it impossible that they
could remain unseen he suddenly ceased rowing, and stood up to shade his
eyes from the sunshine, and gaze sharply down the river for some
minutes.

Then giving a grunt as of satisfaction he reseated himself, and rowed
slowly up the creek, till he disappeared among the osiers and reeds
which fringed its muddy banks.

As he passed up he disturbed a shoal of large fish which came surging
down, making quite a wave in the creek, till they reached the river,
where all was still.

"The boat's up there, Bob," said Dexter, after a long silence, so as to
give the man time to get well out of hearing.

"Yes, but how are we to get to it?"

"Wade," said Dexter laconically. "'Tain't deep, only muddy."

To cross the creek was necessary, and Bob softly let himself down from
the bank till his feet were level with the water, then taking hold of a
stout osier above his head he bent it down, and then dropped slowly into
the water, which came nearly to his waist.

"Come on!" he said, and after getting to the end of the osier he used
his rod as a guide to try the depth, and with some difficulty, and the
water very nearly to his chest, he got over.

Dexter did not hesitate, but followed, and began to wade, feeling his
feet sink at every step into the sticky mud, and very glad to seize hold
of the end of the rod Bob was civil enough to hold to him from the
further bank, up which they both crept, dripping like water-rats, and
hid among the osiers on the ot