broken me heart to lose it," he observed; "so I
made a grab and caught it and the bow, and held them tight, although the
wetting, to be sure, was doing them no good. Down I went, fasther and
fasther. I could hear the roar of the lower cataract. Thinks I to
meself, If I go over that I shall be done for, and just then I found the
canoe carried by the current towards the shore. I struck out with me
feet to help it; and glad I was when, as I let them dhrop, I felt them
touch the ground. I sprang up the bank, but, to me sorrow, the canoe
floated off, and it was more than I could do to get a hold of it again.
I climbed to the top of a cliff, hoping to catch sight of you, or of
Reuben and the Indian; but no one could I see. And grieving from the
bottom of me heart at the thought that you were lost, I scrambled down
again, and made me way through the wood, guided by the sound of the
waterfall.

"I went on and on till I had passed it, looking out for our friends; but
not a glimpse of them could I see. At last, as I was getting pretty
tired, I thought to meself that I would climb up into a tree to get some
rest, and hide away in case the inimy should be looking for me.
Scarcely had I stowed meself away among the branches when I heard
voices. I dared not look out, but I guessed they were those of the
Indians, who had by some means or other missed me tracks, and having
gone down the bank before me, were now returning. They passed by
without seeing me, which shows that they are not always so sharp-sighted
as is supposed. I stayed up in the tree all night; but next morning,
being very hungry, I came down to make me breakfast off the berries I
had seen growing about. There was no lack of them, and I was lucky
enough to knock down two young squirrels with a stick I had picked up.

"I was not happy in me mind all the time at going away without looking
for you, so, thinks I to myself, I'll try and find him. I started up
the stream again to the place where the canoe was upset. Not a trace of
you could I discover; so with a sad heart I began to make me way back
again. It struck me that, somehow or other, I must have wandered away
from the river; and after trudging along all day I could nowhere find
it. I felt still more unhappy than I had done before, and so, thinking
to solace myself, I sat down on a rock, and putting me fiddle to me
chin, began playing away. I tried one tune and then another, and a
mighty dale of good it