“Aboard!” said Forester.

The crew then gently raised their oars into the air, and passed them over their heads into the boat, laying them upon the thwarts in their proper position, along the middle of the boat.  By this order the crew supposed that Forester was going to land.

“Bear a hand, Mr. Bowman,” said Forester, “and fend off from the shore.”

Forester, by means of his paddle, had steered the boat up to a log which lay in the edge of the water, and Marco, at first fending off from the log, to keep the boat from striking hard, and then holding on to it with his hook, got it into a good position for landing, and held it securely.

“Crew ashore,” said Forester.

The crew, who had learned all these orders in the course of the repeated instructions which Forester and Marco had given them, began to rise and to walk toward the bow of the boat and to go ashore.  Marco landed first, and held the boat with his boat-hook, while the rest got out.  Forester then ordered Marco to make the boat fast, until they were ready to embark again.

Forester then went up in the woods a little way, with his hatchet in his hand, and began to look about among the trees.  Finally, he selected a small tree, with a round, straight stem, and began to cut it down.  The boys gathered around him, wondering what it could be for.  Forester smiled, and worked on in silence, declining to answer any of their questions.  Marco said it was for a mast, he knew, but when they asked him where the sail was, he seemed perplexed, and could not answer.

As soon, however, as the tree was cut down, it was evident that it was not intended to be used as a mast, for Forester began at once to cut it up into lengths of about two feet long.  What could be his design, the boys were utterly unable to imagine.  He said nothing, but ordered the boys to take these lengths, one by one, and put them into the boat.  There were five in all.  Then he ordered the crew on board again.  Marco got in last.  When all were seated, the order was given to shove off, the oars were tossed—­then let fall into the water.  He ordered them to back water first, by which manoeuver the boat was backed off from the land into deep water.  Then he commanded them to give way, and at the same time bringing the stern of the boat round by his paddle, the boat was made to shoot swiftly down the stream.

The boat went rapidly forward along the shores of the pond, and presently, on coming round a wooded point, the mills appeared in sight.  As they approached the mills, they kept pretty near the shore, and at length landed just above the dam.