Hart and Nab Walker drew a little aside upon a higher ridge of rocks.
As for me, I leaned close to the water to watch the agitation. It did
not lessen. On the contrary it became momentarily more evident, and
I began to distinguish a sort of regular throbbing, like that
produced by a screw in motion.

"There is no doubt," declared Wells, leaning close to me, "there is a
boat coming toward us."

"There certainly is," responded I, "unless they have whales or sharks
in Lake Erie."

"No, it is a boat," repeated Wells. "Is she headed toward the mouth
of the creek, or is she going further up it?"

"This is just where you saw the boat twice before?"

"Yes, just here."

"Then if this is the same one, and it can be no other, she will
probably return to the same spot."

"There!" whispered Wells, extending his hand toward the entrance of
the creek.

Our companions rejoined us, and all four, crouching low upon the
bank, peered in the direction he pointed.

We vaguely distinguished a black mass moving through the darkness. It
advanced very slowly and was still outside the creek, upon the lake,