“Hush, Messieurs,” she commanded quietly, her eyes upon my face, instantly shaming me.  “It is not meet you should quarrel.  There are better ways in which to strike blows for me than that.  As to my going on with you, or returning alone, that may all be discussed when we make camp again at daylight.  Then we will settle the matter coolly, not in the heat of anger.  You are both my friends, nor would I awaken between you any cause for controversy.”

De Noyan laughed.

“Sacre! ’tis the accursed night got into our blood,” he exclaimed.  “The very air seems poisoned with horror, while my back aches so with pulling this oar, I would esteem it relief to fight with my best friend.  It was hard fortune that the boy Alphonse happened in track of that Spaniard’s bullet.  With three in the boat there would be some rest from the toll.”

“I see solid ground yonder,” I said, pointing as I spoke to the shadowy bank ahead.  “We might run the boat’s nose in, and stretch our cramped limbs on shore.  There is little to be gained endeavoring to work with wearied muscles.”

“San Juan!” he returned, brightening instantly to the suggestion.  “’Tis the first word of good sense reaching my ears this cursed night of folly.  Head her in under the shade of yonder bush, Eloise, until I see if I can stand upright once more.”

CHAPTER XII

WE LAND AN ODD FISH

After brief respite Madame steered as closely beside the bank as possible, thus avoiding the swift current, yet it was no small task to win our way upward through the lagging hours.  More and more frequently tired muscles drove us to the shore for intervals of relaxation.  Still, in spite of much time thus lost, we made steady progress, so before morning dawned I was confident many a mile had been placed behind, although the low shore we skirted remained so similar in outline as to afford few landmarks with which to gauge our passage.

De Noyan grew more cheerful toward the end, his sullen mood changing to a gay semblance of reckless abandon.  To me, however, he appeared scarcely more engaging in snatches of ribald song, and careless speech, freely interspersed with French oaths and much complaint at unwonted toll, than in his former moody silence; yet his cheerfulness had effect upon Madame, who contrived to rally from her mental depression, becoming in turn a veritable sunburst in the gloom.  I experienced a glow of pleasure listening to her merry banter, and, once or twice, to a low-voiced French song, sounding sweetly enough as it echoed back from off the black water.