With this point thus settled in my own mind I felt ready to rejoin the others.
I must have been absent in the neighborhood of two hours, and they had returned to the bank of the creek some time in advance of me.

As I appeared at the edge of the wood, Sam hailed, offering to row the boat across.
"All right," I replied, confident we were alone.

"It will save me another wetting.

You saw nothing ?" "No, sah; leastways, not much," busily fitting the oars into the row-locks.

"We cud see up de Illinois mor'n ten mile.