ground, unslung the bow
from his back, and fitted an arrow to its place. Then the bow-string
twanged, and the arrow hurtled through the air, and sank deep into a
great pine tree a few feet from where the Colonel was lying. For
several minutes the Indian stood as motionless as the trees around him.
Then picking up the fish, he glided silently forward, and reaching the
pine, he fastened them to the embedded arrow. This done, he cast a
quick glance toward the still form near at hand, turned and moved
swiftly away. In another minute he had recovered his weapons, and
disappeared in the depths of the great gloomy forest.

CHAPTER VII

OUT OF THE STORM

Early the next morning Old Mammy drew back the flap of the tent,
stepped outside, and waddled over to where she had prepared supper the
previous evening. She had always prided herself upon being the first
to rise, and she was determined that she would continue the custom here
in the wilderness.

The sun had just risen above the far off eastern horizon, and was
struggling to disentangle itself from the drifting tresses of fog
hanging in massy banks over the river. Slowly but surely it slipped
away from each misty, tremulous embrace, and then like a giant
refreshed by the encounter assumed the offensive. Before the mighty
champion's silent fiery darts the surging foggy battalions wavered,
loosened their hold on river and land, and broke in utter confusion.
Wildly they scattered and fled, but escape they could not, and ere long
not the slightest vestige remained of their once proud ranks.

Of all this Old Mammy saw nothing, as she was too busy digging among
the ashes of the fire-place for a few live coals. It was only Jean who
witnessed the magnificent sight. She had slipped out of the tent
shortly after her old servant, and had hurried down to the shore for
her morning wash. Here Mother Nature had provided her with basin and
mirror combined in the calm water at her feet. Straight and lithe she
stood, her dark, unbound hair flowing in ripples to her waist. Her
face, turned eastward, was aglow with health and animation, and her
eyes shone with the light of a joyous surprise.

"Isn't it wonderful!" she breathed. "I never saw anything like it.
Why, it's a real fairy-land."

She was startled by a cry from Mammy, and turning quickly around, she
saw the woman pointing excitedly to the big pine tree. The Colonel,
aroused from slumber, had leaped to his feet,