Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/338

Rh trembled alike to believe or to doubt. Ernest, more active than I, had climbed a sand-bank, and, with his telescope, had commanded a better view of the canoe. He watched it round a point of land, and then came down almost as much agitated as myself. I ran to him and said—

"Ernest, was it your mother?"

"No, papa; I am certain it was not my mother," said he. "Neither was it Francis."

Here he was silent: a cold shuddering came over me.

"Why are you silent?" said I; "what do you think?"

"Indeed, papa, I could distinguish nothing," said he, "even with the telescope, they passed so quickly. Would that it were my mother and brother, we should then be sure they were living, and might follow them. But a thought strikes me: let us free the pinnace, and sail after the canoe. We can go quicker than they with the sail; we shall overtake them behind the cape, and then we shall at least be satisfied."

I hesitated, lest my sons should come back; but Ernest represented to me that we were only fulfilling the wishes of Fritz; besides, we should return in a short time; he added, that he would soon disencumber the pinnace.

"Soon," cried I, "when we have been at least two hours in covering it."

"Yes," said he; "but we had a dozen journeys to make to the trees then; I will have it ready in less than half an hour."

I assisted him as actively as I could, though not with good heart, for I was uneasy about abandoning my sons. I would have given worlds