ackening its pace;
and after a few more bounds, down it sank to the ground, not one hundred
yards from me.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

I KILL THE DEER--MORE WONDERS--MEET MANLEY AND SERGEANT CUSTIS AT LAST--
A PLEASANT EVENING--PARCHED WITH THIRST AMIDST SPARKLING STREAMS--OUR
HAZARDOUS JOURNEY OVER THE MOUNTAINS--SAFE ARRIVAL AT FORT HARWOOD--
WELCOMED BY THE COMMANDANT--AN EXPEDITION ORGANISED TO DRIVE THE INDIANS
FROM THE COUNTRY--MANLEY COMMANDS IT--I ACCOMPANY HIM--MEET BARNEY AND
KLITZ, STILL BOUND FOR CALIFORNIA--BARNEY GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR
ESCAPE--THEIR JOURNEY STOPPED--THEY RETURN WITH US--WE MEET PIOMINGO AND
HIS SQUAW--TELLS US THAT HE HAS BURIED THE WAR-HATCHET--HEAR AN ALARMING
ACCOUNT OF BARTLE--ASCEND THE MOUNTAIN TO WHERE WE LEFT UNCLE JEFF--FIND
HIM AND CLARICE WELL--HE HAS OBTAINED A LARGE SUPPLY OF PELTRIES--OUR
RETURN TO WINNEMAK'S CAMP--MAYSOTTA ACCOMPANIES CLARICE TO ROARING
WATER.

Although I had not forgotten the friends I hoped soon to see, my
instinct as a hunter made me anxious to secure the deer, as it might
possibly get up again, and be lost to us by springing into the river.
Acting on this impulse, therefore, I ran up to the wounded animal. The
poor brute was endeavouring to rise on its knees, so, ham-stringing it
with my knife, I effectually prevented it from escaping. I had,
however, to approach it cautiously, for a blow from its antlers, even in
its present state, might prove dangerous. I managed at length to reach
its throat, when its struggles speedily ceased.

I now looked round for my friends, in the expectation of seeing them at
any moment, for I was sure they would follow the deer; but they did not
come. Still I could not have been mistaken. The animal had been shot
by a rifle bullet; it was a rifle I had heard fired. Had Indian hunters
shot the deer, they would certainly have followed more closely at its
heels; and besides, they were not likely to have rifles.

After having secured the deer, I hastened in the direction from whence
it had come, expecting that every moment would solve the mystery. Yet,
eager as I was, my eyes could not avoid remarking the wonderful objects
around me. On one side was a basin, its projecting rim carved with
marvellously intricate tracery, while the waters within were tinted with
all the colours of the rainbow. On the other side appeared a mass
greatly resembling an ancient castle. It rose more than forty feet
above the plain, while in i