Even "Tummas"
was so thoroughly impressed with a sense of responsibility, that his
two hours of watchfulness were passed in a nervous tremble and with
hardly a blink of his wide-open eyes. Donald stood the last watch, and
at its conclusion he woke the Indians and ordered them to prepare
breakfast.

Day was just breaking, and while two of the Indians attended to the
fire the other three scattered through the woods in hopes of picking up
some unwary bit of game. While they were thus engaged, Donald took a
long refreshing swim in the cool waters of the lake. He did not arouse
the paymaster until the hunters had returned, bringing a wild turkey
and a few brace of pigeons, by which time breakfast was ready. Then,
to his dismay, the little man insisted on having a bath in his tub,
which proved a very tedious operation, on being shaved, and on
performing so elaborate a toilet, that the sun was more than an hour
high, and Donald was fuming with impatience, before they were ready to
start.

All this time the Indians, who had swallowed their breakfast in
silence, as well as with despatch, smoked their pipes and gazed with
delighted wonder at the novel operations of "Tummas" and his master.
As the several compartments of the tub yielded up their mysterious
contents, the dusky spectators gave vent to ejaculations of amazement,
and several times he of the striped face stepped forward for a closer
inspection of the marvellous receptacle.

"I say, Bullen, this sort of thing will never do!" began Donald, when
the paymaster was at length resplendent in his completed toilet, and
they were once more under way. "We ought to have been off three hours
ago. If we continue to waste time at this rate, there is no possible
chance of overtaking Cuyler, and you know as well as I what that may
mean to me."

"Yes, my dear fellow, I understand; but how can I help it? You can't,
of course, expect a gentleman to go without his daily tub, and I assure
you that in my desire to expedite our journey I haven't occupied more
than half my usual time this morning."

Donald groaned. Then, with a happy thought, he inquired: "How would it
do to take your bath in the evening, as soon as we make a landing, and
while supper is being prepared?"

"It would be entirely contrary to custom," replied the other. "Still,
it might be done for a short time, and for the sake of being
accommodating I am willing to try it. I don't think you need fear,
though,