About 4 o'clock they passed Mt. Vernon, for which both boys were
glad, as they did not enjoy the thought of tying up on this, their
first night afloat, close to a strange town.

They were apt to be pestered by curious visitors, and perhaps boys
bent on pranks that might cost the travelers dear, since some of
these fellows would not think anything about setting fire to a
boat, and laugh to watch the frantic efforts of the owners to
extinguish the flames.

When the dusk was beginning to gather on the moving waters, Thad
spied what seemed to be the mouth of a good-sized creek below.

As they were just then skirting the shore with the intention of
pulling in at the first chance, it was not much of an effort to
turn the boat so that they could pole into the mouth of the stream
and go up it some distance.

Thad's steering oar seemed to work to a charm, and he was more
than a little pleased with his work in that direction; for much of
the pleasure of the long voyage was apt to depend upon the ability
with which they could guide their clumsy craft when an emergency
arose.

Fortunately the creek seemed quite deserted; they had feared lest
some other boat like their own might have preempted their claim,
and the owners endeavor to make it disagreeable for them.

Not that either of the boys felt timid, for they were both built
along the line of fighters, and ready to hold their own with any