ants. Thus it was that they headed almost in a
direct line for the precise point where the fugitives landed, and were
not much behind them in reaching the spot.

The majority of persons, in making such a flight, would have started for
the depths of the forest without an instant's delay, but the Mohawk
perpetrated a little piece of strategy which proved of inestimable
benefit to him and his friends. At the moment they stepped from the boat
he seized the latter in a strong grasp and gave it a powerful impulse
that sent it far out and down the stream. Although their pursuers were
coming up rapidly, yet they were not quite in sight, and in the brief
interval that must elapse before they could catch a glimpse of the empty
craft, the purpose of Lena-Wingo was perfected. An exultant whoop from
one of the pursuing canoes told of the discovery of the drifting boat,
whose occupants had effected a landing but a second or two before. But
the craft which caused the outcry was several rods below the spot where
it had touched the land, and the fugitives themselves were still further
removed from the water's edge, stealing along in the darkness of the
woods from the Iroquois who were hastily gathering to the spot, apprised
by a dozen signals of what had taken place.

The Indian, telling his friends to keep on the move and make no noise,
remained in the rear, to learn what his foes intended to do. He saw the
two canoes halt for a moment beside the empty boat, as if they wished to
make sure that it held none of the party for whom they were hunting,
and then they shot their own craft in to the shore, leaving the other to
drift aimlessly down the river. The two which struck the bank did so at
a point something more than a rod below where the other landing had
taken place. There they met quite a number of others who came down from
the woods, where they had been signaling to and answering calls from
those across the stream. Then followed a wrangle, with the same prospect
of conflict that occurred at no great time before. The provocation in
the latter instance was much greater than in the former, for the
fugitives had slipped through the hands of the Iroquois in the most
exasperating manner. But there seemed, also, to be the identical
level-headed ones, who were backed by an authority sufficient to compel
the fiery warriors to keep the peace. The storm of passion subsided
almost as soon as it rose.

Lena-Wingo was desirous of learning what