not gone far when he
heard a suppressed, significant whistle. Hardly conscious of its
meaning, he paused and listened. It was repeated, and becoming
suspicious, he sprung behind a tree. While listening, the subdued voice
of Kent reached him:

"Make for the river, George; the imps are on your trail."

He turned to obey this injunction, but had not taken a dozen steps when
a rifle flamed from some concealment, and a twinge in his side told him
that he was wounded. At the same instant several savages sprung toward
him, setting up their demoniac howls. The pain of his wound maddened
him, and, regardless of consequences, he raised his rifle and shot the
foremost through the breast, when scarcely the length of his gun from
him.

This act, though rash, and one which he would not have done in his
cooler moments, was the means eventually of saving his life. The
intention of the savages was to kill him on the spot; but the death of
one of their number increased their fury and thirst for vengeance, and
the chief or leader deterred the others from further violence,
determined that his death should be at the stake.

"You shoot Indian, eh?" said one, through his closed teeth, brandishing
his knife at the same time in the face of the young man.

[Illustration: "You shoot Indian, eh?" said one, brandishing his knife
at the same time.]

He made no reply; but weakened by the loss of blood, sunk fainting to
the ground. He was jerked to his feet, and although barely able to
stand, was forced forward, and compelled to keep pace with the others.

The Indians who had thus captured Leland were the same band who had
pursued him and Kent. The latter had taken a circuitous course, and,
after placing a considerable distance between himself and his enemies,
took the back track and reached the gorge where Leslie had fallen,
hoping to find him there; but being disappointed, followed his trail to
the river where he saw that he had embarked in the boat.

Kent knew that his own trail would be followed. In order to mislead the
savages, he took to the water and swam about a half-mile down-stream
before he landed upon the opposite side. But it seemed that fate was
against him. The savages in pursuing him had separated somewhat. Kent's
ruse one of them accidentally discovered, and apprised his companions.
They collected and immediately took the right trail. The first
intimation the ranger had of his danger was the whistling of a bullet a
few inch