he red varmints never enter a stream for
nothing; and calculating pretty shrewdly they'd be followed soon, no
doubt they've taken good care to puzzle us for the trail. Ef it be as
I suspect, we'll divide on the other side, and a part o' us go up, and
a part down, till we come agin upon thar track. But then agin," added
Boone, musingly, with a troubled expression, "it don't follow, that
because they entered the stream they crossed it; and it's just as likely
they've come out on the same side they went in; so that we'll have to
make four divisions, and start on the sarch."

Accordingly on reaching the other shore, and finding the trail was lost,
Boone divided the party--assigning each his place--and separating, six
of them recrossed the stream; and dividing again, two, headed by Isaac,
went up, and two, led by Henry Millbanks, went down along the bank;
while Boone and Seth Stokes, with the rest, proceeded in like manner on
the opposite side; and the dog flew hither and yon, to render what
service he could also. For something like a quarter of an hour not the
least trace of the savages could be found, when at last the voice of
Isaac was heard shouting:

"I've got it--I've got it! Here it is, jest as plain and nateral as
cornstalks--Hooray!"

In a few minutes the whole company was gathered around Isaac, who
pointed triumphantly to his discovery.

"That's the trail, sure enough," observed Boone, bending down to scan
it closely; "and rather broad it is too. It's not common for the wily
varmints to do thar business in so open a manner, and I suspicion it's
done for some trickery. Look well to your rifles, lads, and be prepared
for an ambush in yon thicket just above thar, while I look carefully
along this, for a few rods, just to see ef I can make out thar meaning.
They've spread themselves here considerable," continued the old hunter,
after examining the trail a few minutes in silence; "but ef they think
to deceive one that has been arter 'em as many times as I, they've made
quite a mistake; for I can see clean through their tricks, as easy as
light comes through greased paper."

"What discovery have you made now?" inquired young Millbanks, who,
together with the others, pressed eagerly around Boone to hear his
answer.

"Why I've diskivered what I war most afeard on," answered the woodsman.
"I've diskivered that the varmints have divided, for the sake of giving
us trouble, or leading us astray from them as they cares m