By such
delicate and unforeseen means does Providence often protect those
who are the subjects of its especial care, baffling the calculations
of art by its own quiet control of events.
The bee-hunter had a feverish desire to be moving. After remaining
in the cover about half an hour, he proposed that they should get
the canoes into one of the open passages, of which there were many
among the plants, and proceed. Peter had more of the patience of an
Indian, and deemed the hour too early. But le Bourdon was not yet
entirely free from distrust of his companion, and telling Gershom to
follow, he began paddling down one of the passages mentioned. This
decisive step compelled the rest to follow, or to separate from
their companions. They chose to do the first.
Had le Bourdon possessed more self-command, and remained stationary
a little longer, he would, in all probability, have escaped
altogether from a very serious danger that he was now compelled to
run. Although there were many of the open places among the plants,
they did not always communicate with each other, and it became
necessary to force the canoes through little thickets, in order to
get out of one into another, keeping the general direction of
descending the river.
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