t
body of blue water, impassable to him then, and as he drew a deep breath
of gratitude he felt that he was in truth being watched over by a
supreme power. If not, why were all the turns of chance in his favor?
Why had he stopped to rest a moment or two by the stony ledge, and why
in doing so had he caught a glimpse of the lake which soon would have
been an insuperable bar across his path, enabling the Indians to hem him
in on either flank?

He breathed his thanks, and then he lay back against the ledge for
another minute or two of rest. Near grew a dwarf oak, still thick in
green foliage, and as if by command the wind suddenly began to sing
among its leaves, and the leaves, as if touched by the hand of a master
artist, gave back a song. Henry had heard that song before. It came to
him in his greatest moments of spiritual exaltation. Always it was a
song of strength and encouragement, telling him that he would succeed,
and now its note was not changed.

He opened his eyes, sure that his pursuers were not yet within rifle
shot, and rising, refreshed, passed over the hill and into the forest
again, curving now toward the north. When he was sure he was well hidden
by the bushes, he ran at great speed, intending to pass between the
northern wing of his pursuers and the lake. They, of course, had known
of the water there and were expecting to catch him in the trap, and as
he ran he heard the two wings calling distantly to each other. His
silent laugh came once more. He had invisible guides who always led him
out of traps, and he had heard the voice that sang to him so often
saying this pursuit, like so many others, might be long, but in vain.

Fifteen minutes more, and he caught another view of the lake, which
appeared to be about two miles long and a quarter of a mile across, a
fine sheet of water, on which great numbers of wild fowl swam, or over
which they hovered. It was heavily wooded on all sides, and had he not
seen it earlier it would surely have proved an obstacle leading to his
capture or destruction. The pursuing bands, evidently believing that the
trap had been closed with the fugitive in it, began to exchange signals
again, and Henry discerned in their cries the note of triumph. It gave
the great youth satisfaction to feel that they would soon be undeceived.

Now he called up all the reserves of strength that he had been saving
for some such emergency as this, and sped toward the northeast at a pace
few coul