tly pausing, as if to examine the spot of his concealment, uttered
a horrid yell, as of discovery, and then, just as he fancied all was
lost, to his great relief darted suddenly away.

Thus one after another passed on; and their fierce yells gradually
sounding more and more distant, renewed his hope, that he might yet
escape their vigilant eyes, and again be free to roam the earth at will.
O, potent, joyful thought!--how it made his very heart leap, and the
blood course swiftly through his heated veins!--and then, when some
sound was heard more near, how his heart sickened at the fear he might
again be captured, and forced to a lingering, agonizing death!--how he
shuddered as he thought, until his flesh felt chill and clammy, and cold
drops of perspiration, wrung forth by mental agony, stood upon his pale
features! Even death, before his escape, possessed not half the terrors
for him it would have now; for then he had nerved himself to meet it,
and prepared himself for the worst; but now he had again had a taste of
freedom, and would feel the reverse in a thousand accumulated horrors.

Thus for a few minutes he lay, in painful thought, when he became aware,
by the different sounds, that many of the savages were returning.
Presently some two or three paused by the rock, and beat back the bushes
around it. Then, dropping upon his knees, one of the Indians actually
put his head to the ground, and peered up into the cavity. It was a
horrible moment of suspense to Algernon, as he beheld the hideous visage
of the savage so near, and evidently gazing upon him; and thinking
himself discovered, he was on the point of coming forth, when a certain
vagueness in the look of the Indian, led him to hope he was not yet
perceived; and he lay motionless, with his breath suspended. But, alas!
his hope was soon changed to despair; for after gazing a moment longer,
the Indian suddenly started, his features expressed satisfaction, he
uttered a significant grunt, and, springing to his feet, gave a loud,
long, peculiar whoop. The next moment our hero was roughly seized, and,
ere he could exert himself at all, dragged forth by the heels, by which
means his limbs and body became not a little bruised and lacerated.

The savages now came running towards their prisoner from all quarters,
in high glee at his recapture--being attracted hither, probably, by the
signal whoop of success made by the one who first discovered him. Among
the rest came Girt