e river
are open. Let one party go by the lake, and one party by the river."

"That's it, that's it, Injin," interrupted Jacques energetically; "yer
wits are always jumpin'. By crossin' over to Duck River, we can start
at a point five or six miles above the lower fall; an' as it's
thereabouts he must cross, we'll be time enough to catch him. If he
tries the lake, the other party'll _fix_ him there; an' he'll be soon
poked up if he tries to hide in the bush."

"Come, then; we'll all give chase at once," cried Charley, feeling a
temporary relief in the prospect of energetic action from the depressing
effects of the calamity that had so suddenly befallen him in the loss of
his chief and friend.

Little time was needed for preparation. Jacques, Charley, and Harry
proceeded by the river; while Redfeather and Hamilton, with a couple of
men, launched their canoe on the lake, and set off in pursuit.

Crossing the country for about a mile, Jacques led his party to the
point on the Duck River to which he had previously referred. Here they
found two canoes, into one of which the guide stepped with one of the
men, a Canadian, who had accompanied them, while Harry and Charley
embarked in the other. In a few minutes they were rapidly descending
the stream.

"How do you mean to act, Jacques?" inquired Charley, as he paddled
alongside of the guide's canoe. "Is it not likely that Misconna may
have crossed the river already? in which case we shall have no chance of
catching him."

"Niver fear," returned Jacques. "He must have longer legs than most men
if he gets to the flat-rock fall before us, an' as that's the spot where
he'll nat'rally cross the river, being the only straight line for the
hills that escapes the bend o' the bay to the south o' Stoney Creek,
we're pretty sartin to stop him there."

"True; but that being, as you you say, the _natural_ route, don't you
think it likely he'll expect that it will be guarded, and avoid it
accordingly?"

"He _would_ do so, Mister Charles, if he thought we were _here_; but
there are two reasons agin this. He thinks that he's got the start o'
us, an' won't need to double by way o' deceivin' us; and then he knows
that the whole tribe is after him, and consekintly won't take a long
road when there's a short one, if he can help it. But here's the rock.
Look out, Mister Charles. We'll have to run the fall, which isn't very
big just now, and then hide in the bushes at the foot of