five o'clock
I had avoided Nick Boomsby since the capture of the Islander , for I knew he would beg me to get him out of his present trouble . I could not see my way to do anything of the kind , and therefore I kept out of his way . I remained on board of the steamer until the engineer reported that he had steam enough to go ahead , when I returned to the Sylvania . The fasts were cast off , and by five o'clock we were again stemming the tide of the mighty river . The current was even stronger than it had been the day before . I told the engineer to let the steamer go at her ordinary speed , and the Islander kept very near us . The river was covered with lumber , shanties swept from their resting-places , and other obstructions ; but in the daytime we could easily avoid them .