`` you ca n't never do that , '' he says , but i 'm already turning to manchee and saying `` go on , boy , '' and he takes off back up the bluff and down the other side , burning stick in his mouth , and i count to a hundred , loud , so 's i ca n't hear no one say nothing and then i make myself count to a hundred again and that 's enough and i lurch as fast as i can back to the dock and the boat and i get myself in and i take the oar onto my lap and i use the knife to cut away the last of the raggedy rope tying the little boat in place .