He was probably thinking of
it, and wishing he had it, at this very moment. As for Winn, he was
eating it as fast as possible, and thinking that he had never tasted
such good crackers or such a fine piece of cheese in his life. With
each mouthful his spirits rose and his strength returned, until, when
the last crumb had disappeared and been washed down with a double
handful of sweet river-water, the boy's pluck and cheerfulness were
fully restored.
Now what should he do? He did not know that he had passed Dubuque,
though he feared that such might be the case. Thinking of it brought
to mind the island with those upon whom he had so recently turned the
tables, and left as prisoners within its limits. He even laughed aloud
as he pictured them toiling, as he had toiled the evening before, to
construct a raft on which to escape. "I wonder if they found any one
in that log-hut," he thought, recalling its lighted window. "And, oh!
if it should have been father! It might have been. He might have seen
my signal-fire, found my message, and got as far as the hut. Now what
will he do? Oh, how I wish I could get back! Why didn't I think of
all this before leaving the island? That was a horrid sound in the
woods, though. And that animal! I wonder what it could have been?"
By this time the current had carried the skiff close in to the drowned
bottom-lands of the Illinois shore.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104