sfied that they were not watched.

"It is well," observed Manita; "we may therefore the sooner proceed up
the stream."

In another minute they were paddling away, Manita dexterously steering
the canoe. Having got so far from the village that their voices could
not be heard, Oliver inquired the object of the expedition.

"You wish to gain news of a white man who has been long in this
country?" answered Manita; "when I heard what you said, I recollected
that two moons ago I had gone on an expedition up this river with two
other girls somewhat older than myself. They took me with them to steer
while they paddled. Their object was to run away from those they did
not love, and to hide in the forest till they could return with safety.
The river, though not very wide, continues on far, far away; and we
paddled on all day; and not till night did we come to the end of our
voyage. They secured the canoe beneath an overhanging tree, whose
boughs afforded us shelter while we slept. At daylight, leaping out of
the canoe, with their basket of provisions, and telling me to take it
back, but not to say where they had gone, they ran off into the forest.
This I had no fancy for doing--not that I should have been punished--but
I liked not to be deceived, and wished to know what they were about. I
accordingly, instead of doing as they had bid me, followed their trail;
though I kept at such a distance that they could not hear or see me
should they look back. On they went, till I began to grow weary and
hungry; they stopped to eat, but I had forgotten to bring provisions
with me, not supposing that they would go so far. I lay concealed close
to them, till I heard them get up and go on again; then I knew that they
must be intending to go much further. Fortunately they had left some
fruit and a piece of corn-cake, which had slipped out of one of their
baskets. I ate it as I went along, afraid of getting far behind them.

"Leaving the forest, they went over hills and down valleys, and up other
hills; and I had great difficulty in concealing myself--indeed, had they
not hurried on without looking back, they must have discovered me. They
now entered another forest; they were getting farther and farther from
me, and I was becoming more and more weary. I was still trying to
overtake them, when I felt a sharp pain in my foot--a thorn had pierced
it, and sinking to the ground, I knew not what happened. How long I had
thus lain I could