route in this fashion; but the silence remained unbroken, and he began
breathing more freely, when all at once one end of the trunk struck the
shore; the other end swung round, but it remained fast, and his journey
for a time was at an end.

Ned was dismayed and at a loss what to do, for the only way of breaking
loose that he could see was to step ashore and shove off. He remained
quiescent a moment or two, in the hope that the raft would loosen
itself; but, as it did not, he sprang ashore for that purpose. As he did
so, he looked around for some sign of his enemies, but there was none,
and the fact gave him assurance that they had really gone.

"They must have had dinner there," was his conclusion, "and maybe they
have left something that I can make use of."

Encouraged by this hope, he moved over the intervening space, and
speedily reached the spot where Lone Wolf and his band had encamped
twenty hours before. As he had taken his departure from the savages
before dinner, he was not really certain that that important meal had
taken place; but he made diligent search, resolved that he would find
out beyond all peradventure. The very best good fortune attended him. He
had hunted but a few minutes, when he trod among the ashes where the
camp fire had been burning. This proved that a meal had been partaken
of, and in this country, so prodigal in the different species of game,
the Indians were not economical in the use of food. Groping around in
the dark, his hands soon came upon a goodly-sized bone, plentifully
covered with meat, which had not been cooked so that it could be called
overdone. A starving wolf could not have devoured this with greater
gusto than did he, nor could a dozen starving wolves have enjoyed it
more than did the poor fellow who had been so long without any
nourishment.

When it was gnawed clean he hunted around for more. There was no lack of
the material, and Ned was thankful beyond expression for this wonderful
piece of good fortune, by which he had escaped from Lone Wolf and his
warriors, and then, when starving, had obtained the food he needed from
them. He ate and ate, and then rested and ate again, until he had
gormandized himself to his utmost capacity, when with a sigh of
happiness, he rose to his feet, and stole back toward the stream where
he had left his craft. It was found there as if waiting expressly for
his return, and, shoving it loose, he made his way to near the middle,
where he