ns could attack them ere they covered half the
distance.

Gray and Tollemache were sitting together in the fore part of the boat.
When they had met in the canon they had merely exchanged a hearty grip,
and Gray's inquiry if his friend was O.K. had elicited the information
that his general state was "Fair." But the sight of the sparkling bay
had unlocked even the Englishman's lips, for he was telling his friend
some of the adventures of the previous afternoon, when he viewed the
black dots darting forth from behind Point _Kansas_.

"Here they come again," he growled. "I never have seen such persistent
rotters. And this time we're in a fix."

A long blare from the ship's siren thrilled their hearts, but the
excitement became frantic when three short, sharp blasts followed, and
every sailor knew that the chief officer had signalled: "My engines are
going full speed astern."

That was a pardonable exaggeration, but the _Kansas_ was certainly
moving. They could see the white foam churned up by her propeller.
With one accord they cheered madly, and the oars, double-handed now,
tore the life-boat onward at a pace which outstripped even the shallow
canoes.

Then the Indians did a wise thing. They spared many of their own
lives, and, perchance others of greater value to the world, by ceasing
to paddle. The unlooked-for interference of the great vessel was too
much for them. They merely stared and cackled in amaze, while the
small flotilla dashed towards the towering black hull, and Boyle
lowered the gangway in readiness to receive the captain, his bride
elect, and a good half of the passengers and crew.

Courtenay lost not an instant of favoring tide and fine weather. When
Boyle told him that Walker could work the engines under easy steam, he
dashed up to the bridge three steps at a time. With his hand on the
telegraph, he superintended the hoisting on board of the life-boat and
two of the canoes, which he meant to carry away as trophies--be sure
that Elsie's own special craft was one of them. Meanwhile, Boyle saw
to the safe stowing in the remaining canoes of the wounded Indians in
the fore cabin, and a few furnace bars attached to a rope anchored them
in mid channel, whence their friends could bring them to shore later.

At last, the captain of the _Kansas_ had the supreme satisfaction of
hearing the clang of the electric bell in the engine-room as he put the
telegraph lever successively to "Stand By," and "S