Under all the
circumstances, therefore, he advised the flight by means of the
river. Le Bourdon reasoned on all he heard, and, still entertaining
some of his latent distrust of Peter, and willing to get beyond his
reach, he soon acquiesced in the proposition, and came fully into
the plan.
It was now necessary to reload the canoes. This was done in the
course of the day, and every arrangement was made, so as to be ready
for a start as soon as the darkness set in. Everybody was glad to
move, though all were aware of the extent of the hazard they ran.
The females, in particular, felt their hearts beat, as each, in her
husband's canoe, issued out of the cover into the open river.
Pigeonswing took the lead, paddling with a slow, but steady sweep of
his arm, and keeping as close as was convenient to one bank. By
adopting this precaution, he effectually concealed the canoes from
the eyes of all on that side of the river, unless they stood
directly on its margin, and had the aid of the shadows to help
conceal them from any who might happen to be on the other. In this
way, then, the party proceeded, passing the site of the hut, and the
grove of Openings around it, undetected.
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