"
"I know it," came the reply, as Andy started to walk up and down a bit,
so as to get the last remnant of drowsiness out of his system.
For an hour he found little trouble in keeping awake. He made frequent
trips to where Felipe stood at his wheel, his keen eyes keeping constant
vigil ahead, in order that he might steer clear of such snags as
threatened to stove a hole in the hull of the steam yacht.
Now and then Andy could see one of the crew moving about; but as some of
them must have duties to perform, even in the night, he did not look
upon this as a suspicious circumstance. Only, he made sure that no one
wandered in the near vicinity of the locked lazerette, where the
precious monoplane lay, securely crated.
In some places the river proved much narrower than in others. And, of
course, it was here they had their greatest trouble. The current was
increased, for one thing. Then the floating objects swept forward with
more speed, so that it required additional dexterity in order to avoid
them.
But old Felipe knew his business well. Andy believed they had made no
mistake in leaving matters fully in his hands.
It was about the end of his second hour that the pilot volunteered some
information that gave Andy more or less uneasiness.
"Just ahead, young senor," he said, when for the fifth time the boy
entered his deck pilot house, "we come to the narrowest place in the
whole river at this section.
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