d beside the Black Swan. Roy tried to
raise his bow, but his heart failed him. Wapaw glanced at him, and said
sternly--

"Shoot first."

At that moment Obadiah Stiff stepped into the encampment, and, stirring
the embers of the fire with a piece of stick, caused a bright flame and
showers of sparks to shoot upwards. This revealed the fact that some of
the party were white men, so Wapaw lowered his rifle. A single glance
of his practised eye told him who they were. Laying his hand suddenly
and heavily on Roy's shoulder he pressed him down.

"Come, let us go," he said quickly; "I must see these men alone, and you
must keep close--you _must not look_."

He said the latter words with emphasis; but in order to make sure that
they should not have a chance of looking, he led his young companions to
a point whence the encampment could not be seen, and left them there
with strict injunctions not to quit the spot until he should return.

In a few seconds Wapaw stepped into the circle of light where Robin and
his party were all assembled, and so rapid and noiseless had his
movement been, that he was in the midst of them almost before they were
aware of his approach.

"Wapaw!" exclaimed Walter in surprise, "why, you seem to have dropped
from the clouds."

"Sure it's a ghost ye must be," cried Larry. The Indian took no notice
of these remarks, but turned to Robin, who, with a look of deep anxiety,
said--

"Have 'ee seed the childer, Wapaw?"

"They are safe," answered the Indian.

"Thank God for that!" cried Robin, while a sigh of relief burst from
him: "I believe ye, Wapaw, yer a true man an' wouldn't tell me a lie,
would ye?"

The tone in which the hunter said this implied that the statement was
scarcely a true index to his feelings, and that he would be glad to hear
Wapaw assure him that he was indeed telling the truth. But this Indian
was a man of truthfulness, and did not deem it necessary to repeat his
assertion. He said, however, that he would go and fetch the children,
and immediately quitted the camp. Soon after he returned with Roy and
Nelly; he had not told them, however, who the strangers were.

When Roy first caught sight of his father he gave a shout of surprise,
and stood still as if he were bewildered. Nelly uttered a wild scream,
and rushed forward with outstretched arms. Robin met her more than half
way, and the next moment folded his long-lost little one to his bosom.

CHAPTER TWENTY