there. Another steamer was moving down the lake by Darien. On this windless day the water was smooth and blue but astern of the steamer were two long, spreading waves, like a huge V moving down the lake and stretching from one shore to the other.
“Let me have the telescope,” said Roger again, “I want to see our island.”
“Wait a minute,” said Captain John, “there’s a boat close to it.”
“It’s not the Amazons, is it,” said Titty, “coming to make a surprise attack?”
“No,” said Captain John, “there’s only a man in it. One of the natives probably, fishing. But we ought to be going down all the same. We’ve left Swallow all alone.”
He gave Roger the telescope.
“You can’t see the whole of our island,” he said. “Part of it is hidden by the trees down there. But watch where that man goes to.”
“Are you the children camping on the island below?” asked Young Billy. “I thought you were. You had those Blackett lasses with you yesterday, hadn’t you. We saw their little boat. Hi! Dad!”
Old Billy came back from the wigwam.
“Dad,” said Young Billy, “they’re the young ones that have been camping on the island. Blackett’s lasses were with them yesterday.”
“Aye,” said Old Billy, “I mind well when Mrs. Blackett, little Miss Turner she was then, came to see my fire and my hut when she was no bigger than what you are now, miss.” He looked at Susan measuringly. “She and Master Jim. Eh! Eh! And now she’s a grown woman with two lasses of her own.”