thigh,
accomplishing what is generally termed "jerking" the stone. The latter
went circling high over the heads of the disputing Indians, and came
down upon the other side of them, cutting its way through the dry
leaves of the trees with a peculiar _zip-zip_, which was distinctly
heard by the Riflemen themselves.

The unusual sound could not fail instantly to attract the attention of
the Indians. They paused in their conversation, and turned their
alarmed gaze toward it, as if in expectation of some danger. With their
instinctive caution, they separated, and partially protecting
themselves behind the trees, prepared to receive what they supposed to
be their enemies. A noticeable fact did not escape the eyes of the
Riflemen. The captive, a weak, defenseless girl, was not allowed to
screen herself, as did her captors, but was compelled by them to stand
out in full view, as an additional safeguard against their bullets.

It was at this moment that Tom hurled the second stone over the heads
of the Indians, it descending with the same sharp, cutting sound, and
resolving their suspicions into a certainty that their white enemies
were indeed at hand. Lewis Dernor, now that the moment of action had
arrived, was as shrewd and far-sighted as either Tom or any of the
others. It was these very qualities, coolness and self-reliance in the
crisis of danger, that made him nominally the leader of the Riflemen of
the Miami. He saw the great advantage gained by O'Hara's artifice in
attracting the attention of the Indians to the point opposite to that
from which the peril threatened; but, at the same time, he well knew
that those same Shawnees were too well skilled in woodcraft to suffer
their gaze to be diverted for any length of time from the river-bank.

As matters now stood, the captive herself was the only one who was
looking in the direction of the latter, while her gaze was a mere
mechanical one, wandering hither and thither without resting for a
moment upon any particular object. Lewis felt that the all-important
point was to make her aware of the vicinity of friends. She being a
total stranger to them, and evidently with no hope of any immediate
rescue, made this a matter of considerable difficulty; but, without
hesitating a moment, Lewis suddenly arose to the upright position,
thereby exposing his head and shoulders, and beckoned to the girl to
approach him. The instant he had done this, he dropped on his face and
disappeare