in
a few feet of each other. Now and then they exchanged a word or two,
but the risk was too great to attempt any thing like a continued
conversation.

Three separate times Jim was sure he heard a footstep near him, and as
often did he turn his head and fail to discover the meaning of it.
Finally, he caught a glimpse of some one as he brushed hurriedly by and
disappeared in the darkness. He raised his gun, and was on the point of
firing, when he lowered it again. The thought that probably it was a
white man, and a dislike to give the camp a groundless alarm, was the
cause of this failure to fire.

Several times again through the night did he detect a foot-fall, but he
was not able to catch sight of the stranger. Shortly after midnight the
evidences of his visit ceased, and Jim concluded that he had withdrawn
so as to be beyond sight when daylight broke.

What was his surprise, therefore, when he saw, as the gray light of
morning stole through the wood, the form of a man seated on the ground,
with his head reclining against a tree and sound asleep. If this
surprise was great, it became absolute amazement when he examined his
features, and saw that the man was no other than Lewis Dernor, the
leader of the Riflemen of the Miami! Jim could scarce believe his
senses as he walked forward and shook the sleeper by the shoulder.

"I should as soon have expected to see Mad Anthony himself as to see
you, Lew Dernor, sitting here sound asleep," said he, as the Rifleman
opened his eyes and looked about him. A smile crossed his handsome
countenance as he replied:

"I believe I have been sleeping."

"I believe you have, too. Have you been hanging around here all night?"

"Yes, and all day, too."

"And was it you who fired those shots?"

"I fired my rifle once or twice, I believe."

"Good! Well, Lew, we're glad to see you, and we would be a deuced sight
gladder if we could see the rest of the Riflemen. Where are they?"

"Up the Miami, I suppose. At any rate, that's where I left them."

"Well, I'm afraid we're getting into hot water here, Lew, to tell the
truth, and there's no one whose face would be more welcome just now
than yours. I see they are beginning to wake up and show themselves.
Gavoon has started the fire, so s'pose we go in and you make yourself
known."

The hunter followed young Smith to the camp, where, in a short time, he
met and shook hands with most of the settlers, who were indeed glad
enough to see h