"Bien!" he grunted. "We lef 'im here, biccause dere ain't 'nough
room in de batteau, eh? All right! Dat's good t'ing; but he's seeck
man, so mebbe I feex it him nice place for stop till dem boats
come."

"Yes, yes! Leave me here. I'll make it through all right," begged
Runnion.

"Better you camp yonder on de point, w'ere you can see dose
steamboat w'en she comes 'roun' de ben'. Dis is bad place." He
indicated the thicket, a quarter of a mile above which ran out
almost to the cut bank. "Come! I help you get feex."

Runnion shrank from his proffered assistance half fearfully, but,
reassured, allowed the Frenchman to help him towards the shore.

"We tell it de first boat 'bout you, an' dey pick you up. You wait
here, Necia."

The girl watched her rescuer guide Runnion up to the level of the
woods, then disappear with him in the firs, and was relieved to see
the two emerge upon the river-bank again farther on, for she had
feared for an instant that Poleon might forget. There seemed to be
no danger, however, for he was crashing through the brush in advance
of the other, who followed laboriously. Once Runnion gained the high
point, he would be able to command a view of both reaches of the
river, and could make signals to attract the first steamboat that
chanced to come along. Without doubt a craft of some sort would pass
from one direction or the other by to-morrow at latest, or, if not,
she and Poleon could send back succor to him from the first