“Then you reckon right,” answered Carrington.  The girl studied him from beneath her level brows.

“And you-all think you can take her away from here,” she speculated.  “I ain’t afraid of yo’ knife—­you-all might use it fast enough on a man, but not on me.  I’ll help you,” she added.  Carrington gave her an incredulous glance.  “You don’t believe me?  What’s to hinder my calling for help?  That would fetch our men up from the keel boat.  No—­yo’-all’s knife wouldn’t stop me!”

“Don’t be too sure of that,” said Carrington sternly.  The girl met the menace of his words with soft, fullthroated laughter.

“Why, yo’ hand’s shakin’ now, Mr. Carrington!”

“You know me?”

“Yes, I seen you once at Boggs’.”  She made an impatient movement.  “You can’t do nothing against them fo’ men unless I help you.  Miss Malroy’s to go down river to-night; they’re only waiting fo’ a pilot—­you-all’s got to act quick!”

Carrington hesitated.

“Why do you want Miss Malroy to escape?” he said.

The girl’s mood changed abruptly.  She scowled at him.

“I reckon that’s a private matter.  Ain’t it enough fo’ you-all to know that I do?  I’m showing how it can be done.  Them four men on the keel boat are strangers in these parts, they’re waiting fo’ a pilot, but they don’t know who he’ll be.  I’ve heard you-all was a riverman; what’s to hinder yo’ taking the pilot’s place?  Looks like yo’ was willing to risk yo’ life fo’ Miss Malroy or you wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m ready,” said Carrington, his hand on the door.

“No, you ain’t—­jest yet,” interposed the girl hastily.  “Listen to me first.  They’s a dugout tied up ’bout a hundred yards above the keel boat; you must get that to cross in to the other side of the bayou, then when yo’re ready to come back yo’re to whistle three times—­it’s the signal we’re expecting—­and I’ll row across fo’ you in one of the skiffs.”

“Can you see Miss Malroy in the meantime?”

“If I want to, they’s nothin’ to hinder me,” responded Bess sullenly.

“Tell her then—­” began Carrington, but Bess interrupted him.

“I know what yo’ want.  She ain’t to cry out or nothin’ when she sees you-all.  I got sense enough fo’ that.”

Carrington looked at her curiously.

“This may be a serious business for your people,” he said significantly, and watched her narrowly.

“And you-all may get killed.  I reckin if yo’ want to do a thing bad enough you don’t mind much what comes after,” she answered with a hard little laugh, as she went from the shed.

“Come!” said Carrington to the negro, when he had seen the cabin door close on Bess and her lantern; and they stole across the clearing.  Reaching the bayou side they began a noiseless search for the dugout, which they quickly found, and Carrington turned to George.  “Can you swim?” he asked.