'specially if you go on that way."

"Come, come, Kent, don't be cross. I'll wager that they haven't heard
me, and I promise that they shall not."

The two shouldered their rifles, and, as the mist was slowly rising from
the river, again commenced their journey. The trail was now easily
discovered, and followed without difficulty. It led most of the time
along the bank of the river, and its distinctness showed that the
savages had no fear or cared little for pursuit. Instead of proceeding
in Indian file, as they had at first, they traveled promiscuously and
carelessly, and their number could be easily made out by their
footsteps. During the course of the day Kent gave the exact number to
Leslie, and the precise time that they had journeyed over the ground.

Leslie, in the ardor of his hopes, still had a fear that they might not
really be upon the track of Rosalind. Might not some other party be
misleading them? Was it not possible that the party had subdivided, and
the one that held her taken an entirely different course? The
probability of error prevented him from experiencing the joyous
hopefulness that he might have otherwise felt. This worried and caused
him so much anxiety, that he expressed his fears to Kent.

"Don't know but what we are," returned the hunter, composedly.

"Do you _think_ that we are?" asked Leslie, earnestly.

"Can't say; I'll go back if you want to."

"Heigh! what's that?"

He sprung forward and caught a shred fluttering from a bush.

"That's it! that's it!" he shouted, fairly leaping with joy.

"That's what?" asked the hunter, seemingly disgusted at this display of
childlike emotion.

"Why, a piece of her dress, sure enough," responded Leslie.

Here the corners of Kent's mouth gave a downward twitch, and turning his
head so as to glance at Leslie, a deprecating grunt escaped him.

"She did it on purpose to guide us," added Leslie, not heeding him.

Kent's mouth jerked forward, and a loud guffaw was given.

"Let us hurry," said Leslie, starting forward.

"I allow," commenced the hunter, unable to restrain himself further,
"that if you play many more such capers you'll go alone. If the sight of
her dress sets you in such fits, what do you s'pose'll 'come of you when
you set your eyes on her? and I daresn't think of the consequences of
once gettin' your arm around her. Whew!"

"You must pardon my feeling, Kent; but the sudden assurance that we were
not mistaken or proceeding by g