Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/87

 stream flowed into the first just below the  camp, making quite a wide brawling little river  that swept away into the dark.

Nothing had yet been said, but Hugh began to realize that this was the second stage of his journey. Shokatan, feigning complete ignorance of all English speech, as is the obstinate Indian habit,  had nevertheless read the letter unobserved and  had agreed to help Hugh on his way. Silently the canoe slipped out into the stream, was caught  by the current and with the aid of the two steady  paddles shot swiftly onward upon its course. There was no talk as they sped along, as the dripping paddles rose and fell and mile after mile of river and forest dropped behind them.

The stars began to come out above them and lay reflected in long drifts of shimmering light  as they crossed a quiet pool. Hugh began to see more and more clearly the white birches on  the shore, the reeds and rocking lily-pads and the  two lines of ripples that slanted outward from  their swiftly moving bow. There was a long,