ith great swiftness, but his pursuers bounded after
him like tigers. Thanks to the start which he had had, he cleared
safely a part of the distance which separated him from the river, but
the stones which cut his feet and the sharp thorns of the nopals soon
caused him to slacken his pace, and one of the Indians rushed up and
made a furious thrust at him with his lance. It passed between his arm
and his body, and the Indian losing his equilibrium, fell on the sand.

Gayferos, for it was he, appeared to hesitate a moment whether he should
pick up the lance which the Indian had let fall, but then rapidly
continued his course. That instant's hesitation was fatal to him. All
at once, amidst the cloud of dust raised by his feet, a hatchet shone
over the head of the unfortunate Mexican, who was seen falling to the
earth.

Bois-Rose was about to fire, but the fear of killing him whom he wished
to defend, stopped his hand. For a single moment the wind cleared away
the dust, and he fired, but it was too late, the Indian who fell under
his ball was brandishing in his hand the scalp of the unhappy man. To
this unexpected shot, the savages replied with howls, and then rushed
away from what they believed to be only a corpse. Soon, however, they
saw the man rise, with his head laid bare, who after straggling a few
paces, fell again, while the blood flowed in torrents from his wounds.

"Ah!" cried Bois-Rose, "if there remains in him a spark of life--and
people do not die only from scalping--we shall save him yet; I swear we
shall!"

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

INDIAN CUNNING.

As the Canadian uttered the generous oath, wrung from him by
indignation, it seemed to him that a supplicating voice reached him.
"Is not the poor wretch calling for aid?" And he raised his head from
behind its shelter.

At sight of the fox-skin cap which covered the head of the giant, and of
the long and heavy rifle which he raised like a willow wand, the Indians
recognised one of their formidable northern enemies, and recoiled in
astonishment--for the Blackbird alone had been instructed as to whom
they were seeking. Bois-Rose, looking towards the shore now perceived
the unlucky Gayferos stretching out his arms towards him, and feebly
calling for help. The dying Indian still held the scalp in his clenched
hand.

At this terrible spectacle the Canadian drew himself up to his full
height. "Fire on these dogs!" cried he, "and remember--never let th