"Of course not! But what does it mean---and why didn't the fellow speak ?" "Perhaps---i---i---it was a---dead man," suggested Dalzell.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," replied Reade.

"I---I almost thought I saw the man's eyelids move." "I thought so, too," agreed Dan, "but now I'm inclined to believe that we didn't.

Wait! I'm going to get close to the bushes." Dan drove the paddle into the water a few times, bringing the canoe up alongside the bushes, when it was seen that these were standing up from a square framework of wood.
"Now, what do you think of that ?" asked Reade in perplexity.
"These are freshly cut bushes, that have been fastened to this frame to-day.

The frame will float wherever wind or current may take it.

I thought this was shallow water.