“Mr. Walker is a nice man—­a whole-souled man.”

“That he is!  How many men would have done for us what he did?  And I, in particular, have reason to be grateful to him,” said Charles, with a sigh.  “I shall never forget him and your father, wherever my lot is cast.”

“That is manly of you, Charley.  But I am sure they have been abundantly rewarded by your devotion to duty since.”

“I have tried to do right.”

“You have done well; everybody says so.”

“I cannot soon forget what a fool I was to believe Tim’s wicked lies.  I suppose I wanted to believe them, or I should not.”

“It is a great pity we ever let Tim into the club; but we meant right; we meant to reform him.  Where do you suppose he is now?”

“Somewhere near the Cape of Good Hope.”

“My father thinks he has got enough of the sea by this time.”

“I dare say.  Didn’t you ever feel a desire to go to sea, Frank?”

“No; not lately.”

“Nor I; Tim Bunker lent me the Red Corsair of the Caribbean Sea, just before that scrape, and I thought then that I should like to take a voyage.”

“My father will not let me read such books; and since he has told me what they are, and what their influence is, I don’t want to read them.”

“There’s Tony, with the red flag hoisted.”

The red flag had been agreed upon as the signal to stop the fleet, when the navigation was very hazardous, or impracticable.

“Cease—­rowing!” said Charles.

Frank ordered his signal man to hoist the red in the flag boat.

“Can’t we go any farther than this?” asked Charles.

“I don’t know; we are not more than a mile above the bridge.”

“Here comes the Dip.”

“Well, Tony, what’s the matter?” said the commodore, as the tender approached.

“I haven’t found a clear channel yet.  The bed of the river is covered with rocks,” replied Tony, as the Dip came alongside the Zephyr.

“Then we must call this the head of navigation,” added Frank, with a laugh, though he was not a little disappointed to find the cruise up so soon.

“Perhaps not; there is water enough, but the twelve-oar boats are so long they can hardly dodge the rocks.  The Lily and the Dart can get through very well.”

“Have you sounded clear across?”

“I haven’t had time to examine very thoroughly yet.  If you let the boats lay off I will look farther.”

“Very well; I will go with you in the Dart,” replied the commodore, as he ordered up a white and a blue flag, which was the signal for the Dart to close up.

The signal was obeyed, and Frank followed the Dip.  After half an hour’s search, a clear channel was found close to the land; so close that the oars could not be used, and a party was sent on shore to drag them through with ropes.

The line was formed again, and the squadron slowly followed the Dip as she examined the river.  For the next mile there were no obstructions.