undiminished speed, bent his head and listened.
This was continued until he had passed fully a quarter of a mile, when
he rested for a longer time than usual.

"I guess they'll have to give it up," he said to himself, with a
peculiar chuckle. "They ketched me in a bad box, that's sartin, where I
couldn't climb out on either side. But things are a little better here,"
he added, as he looked from side to side at the bluffs, which were so
low that the tops could be easily reached from his boat. "I don't much
want to tramp over-land, but if it is necessary I've got somethin' of a
chance, which isn't what I had before."

He might well prefer the water to the land; for on the former, whether
he went fast or slow, there was no trail left for the keenest bloodhound
to follow; on the latter it was impossible to conceal his most cautious
footsteps from the eyes of the redskins. The surface of this portion of
Arizona was of such a nature that everything was against the hunter.
There was no wood nor tributary streams for miles. If he left the Gila,
and struck across the country, it would be over an open plain, where he
could be seen for miles. He would be on foot, while his enemies would
all be mounted on their fleet mustangs. How, then, could he elude them
by leaving his boat? His only hope was in traveling at night, but night
must always be followed by day.

"I wonder what ideas will creep into their skulls," he muttered,
reflecting upon the view the Apaches had gained of him a short time
before from the bank. "A dead Injun is a good deal better than a live
one, as that 'ere critter proved to me. If I hadn't fired back agin,
they might have thought I was one of their own warriors--mebbe they'll
think so now. Great Scott!"

The scout was paddling along in his leisurely manner, when his eyes, by
the merest accident, happened to rest upon the other shore, at a point a
short distance below him. While thus looking, he saw distinctly a point
of light appear and vanish three times! It performed no such gyration as
those which he had first seen, but simply came forward and receded until
it was gone altogether, leaving the same misty darkness as before. More
by instinct than from any other cause, Tom turned his eyes to the point
opposite where he had seen this exhibition. He had scarcely done so when
precisely the same thing was seen!

"Jest what I expected," he said as he checked the downward progress of
his boat. "The varmints hav