Then there was Hist to embarrass his movements, and
to cripple his efforts. With a view to relieve himself from this
disadvantage, he told the girl to take the remaining canoe and to
join Hutter's daughters, who were incautiously but deliberately
approaching, in order to save herself, and to warn the others of
their danger. But the girl positively and firmly refused to comply.
At that moment no human power, short of an exercise of superior
physical force, could have induced her to quit the Ark. The exigency
of the moment did not admit of delay, and the Delaware seeing no
possibility of serving his friends, cut the line and by a strong
shove forced the scow some twenty feet clear of the piles. Here
he took the sweeps and succeeded in getting a short distance
to windward, if any direction could be thus termed in so light an
air, but neither the time, nor his skill at the oars, allowed the
distance to be great. When he ceased rowing, the Ark might have
been a hundred yards from the platform, and half that distance
to the southward of it, the sail being lowered. Judith and Hetty
had now discovered that something was wrong, and were stationary
a thousand feet farther north.
Pages:
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573