o anxious to place
distance between themselves and the cannibals, to think of anything but
how to ensure their safety. Accordingly they pressed boldly on, but had
not gone over twenty rods, when yells of disappointment and rage made
the air quiver as they echoed and re-echoed through the cavern. Their
escape had been discovered; and now, if the door to the cavern was
known, they knew they had but a few moments to live.

"Give me your hand, Jane," said Whirlwind; "take hold of Edward, Howe,
that we may not be divided. The young brave will keep in our tracks,
now, let us proceed, and, perhaps, if the cave is found we may hide in
some of its recesses." On they went, and louder and fiercer grew the
yells, as the village poured out its hordes, until it seemed to our
heroes as if every rock had a tongue, and was telling, in thundering
echoes, the place of their retreat. Still on they went, and now, the
voices began to soften in the distance; then they grew fainter, until
nothing but low, confused sounds were heard. The cavern was level on
the bottom, which facilitated their flight; being actuated by the most
sacred passion of our nature--the love of life, which gave them courage
and strength, and with the hope of freedom beckoning them on, they made
unprecedented speed. They had been blessed for about half a mile by the
rays of light that penetrated the cavern at the mouth; but for the last
hour they had been plunging on in total darkness, not knowing where
they went; but now, as no sounds were heard, and they were getting
fatigued, they halted and began to devise some means of guiding them on
their way.

Howe commenced moving around in the darkness to see where the
boundaries of the cave were, and the rest following his example, part
of them touched one side, and feeling its smooth surface, thought the
cavern must be uniform throughout; for, as near as they could tell, by
feeling, it had the same appearance as it had at the entrance.

At that moment Jane, who was groping round to find the other side,
uttered a piercing scream which was quickly followed by a heavy splash
in water.

"Jane! Jane!" they all cried; and the chief, at the moment springing
towards the place where she had stood, with a half-uttered exclamation,
fell heavily with a loud splash also.

"Keep back! keep back! there is danger here!" he cried; "I can save her
if any one can! Jane! Jane! where are you?" he called eagerly, as he
splashed round in the w