John backwatered. “We must look into it again,” he said, “just to make sure.”
Susan flashed her torch into the boathouse. A bat flew out almost into their faces. The big motor launch lay there as before and the rowing boat. The Amazon ’s berth was still empty.
“They must have hidden her somewhere up the river,” said John.
Just then the lights in the big house went out one by one.
“Dowse your glim, Mister Mate,” said Captain John. “They could see the light now if anyone were looking from those windows.”
He pulled Swallow into the river again. She drifted on in the darkness.
No one spoke for some time. The plan had failed, and the cutting-out expedition had come to nothing.
Suddenly they began to feel a little more wind.
“We must have reached the open sea,” said Captain John. “You can light up that torch, Mister Mate, and see what you can.”
Susan flashed the torch all round them. There were no reeds to be seen. On every side there was nothing but rippled water.
“Hullo,” cried Roger, “I can see lights far away.”
“Rio lights,” said John. “We’re out. I’m going to hoist the sail. Hold the torch steady while I reef. Even daddy used to say, ‘Never be ashamed to reef a small boat in the dark.’ ”
Reefing in the dark, even with the help of a torch held by a willing mate, is not too easy, but it was done at last and John brought the Swallow head to wind and hoisted the sail, while Susan took the tiller and the mainsheet.