Captain John thought for a moment.
“It’s quite simple,” he said. “They’ve hidden her up the river. It’s an old pirate trick. We know they haven’t put to sea, for we’ve been watching all day. Come on.” He shut off the torch.
They pushed out.
Out of doors it seemed quite light after the darkness of the big boathouse.
“Now, Mister Mate, lay to your oars,” said Captain John. “There’s still light enough to find her if we’re quick.”
Mate Susan bent to her oars and Swallow moved fast up the river. John, staring as hard as he could into the dusk, kept her clear of the reeds. In another minute they were round a bend in the river.
Again there was a splash in the deep reed beds at the river’s mouth. Again a duck quacked loudly. It quacked two or three times, until a voice said sternly, “Stow it,