"
"But I did see a light," insisted Arnold in a positive tone.
"No, you never," repeated Lopez. "Don't make no difference if you think
you saw a light, they ain't no light there."
"Oh, I get you," Harry put in. "That's another of those mysterious
'because' reasons. Or as the fellow said, 'It's so if I say so even if
it ain't so.' Is that it, Lopez?"
"Yes," snapped Lopez. "Now git to work at them oars and send this boat
along or it'll be the worse for you."
Thus urged, the boys bent to the oars with renewed vigor. Their efforts
sent the boat along at a rapid pace. Finally as they were becoming
exhausted, Lopez commanded them to head directly in shore. They did so,
but instead of running ashore, shot up the entrance to a narrow bayou.
Inside, Lopez commanded them to lie flat in the bottom of the boat. They
heard directly the sound of approaching oars.
"What's that coming, Lopez?" questioned Harry.
His answer was a thrust of Lopez's foot in his ribs and again he felt
the muzzle of the rifle creep along his spine.
With the talk and laughter of their chums ringing in their ears, Harry
and Arnold were compelled to lie silently in the scow, while the other
party passed them a second time that night without being aware of their
presence.
"Looks like we better get up and go to work," announced their captor
after the sound of the oars and talk from the other boatload had died
away. "We've got a long ways to go yet," he added.
"Let's take it a little easier, if you please," requested Arnold.
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