and
it was not an easy thing for them to paddle the clumsy craft away from
the island. One of the savages worked at the paddle for a while; but it
was not till the more able of the other two assisted him that any
sensible progress was made.

"Creation hokee!" exclaimed Ethan, when he was fully conscious that he
had won the victory. "I've done 'em, Fanny!"

"Have they gone?" she asked, when she had joined him.

"They are go'n as fast as they kin; but I reckon they won't git back to
the settlement till some time into mornin'. We're all right now, Fanny,
and you kin go to sleep as soon as you've a mind to."

She was too excited to think of sleeping, and she sat with Ethan on the
shore for an hour, talking about their deliverance from the peril that
had menaced them. Fanny was devoutly grateful to God, who had again
preserved them; and when she had uttered the prayer her heart would not
permit her to keep back, she felt more composed, and retired to the
cabin, where she soon dropped asleep from sheer exhaustion.

This was the only attempt made by the savages to capture the exiles on
the island. The next day, they continued to work upon the house,
interrupted only by a heavy shower in the forenoon; but the boat roof
afforded them a perfect shelter from the pouring rain. It was three
days before the house was finished; but when it was completed, the
wanderers were as proud of it as though it had been a Fifth Avenue
mansion. At night they took turns in keeping the watch; and when the
house was done, both of the exiles were nearly worn out by the hard
work they had done, and the loss of sleep to which they had been
subjected. They decided that it would be best to rest a few days before
they commenced upon certain additions which they contemplated.

The stock of provisions was already much reduced, and the question of
supplies for the future demanded attention. There were plenty of fish
in the lake, but none could be caught in the shallow water which
bordered the island. It was necessary to go out a short distance, and
Ethan found a couple of logs among some drift wood, gathered on the
beach, with which he constructed a raft, just large enough to
accommodate himself.

To prevent accidents, he tied together all the lines which had been
used about the sail, and pushed off the length of his rope. There were
fish-lines in the boat, and bait was obtained on the island. In an hour
Ethan returned to the shore with a large musk