bove the surface: the
depth was much greater than they had suspected.

It was hard work to keep the clumsy raft moving at such disadvantage,
but Deerfoot would not yield the pole to either of his companions, and,
after awhile, he drove it against the shore, and all stepped upon dry
land, without so much as their feet having become moistened.

They had been carried some distance below the trail by the current, but
they quickly regained it, and pushed on. Having eaten nothing since
morning, all three were ahungered, but Fred and Terry grimly determined
to wait for Deerfoot to suggest a stop before they asked for it. Had
they but known that many a time, when on the tramp, he had gone two days
and nights without taking a mouthful, they would not have been so
willing to await his pleasure.

But though he would not have thought of stopping before nightfall had he
been alone, he was too considerate to subject them to discomfort; but it
was useless to stop, since as yet they had seen nothing in the way of
game to shoot.

Terry and Fred were beginning to feel impatient with each other because
of their mutual stubbornness when the Shawanoe, who had been walking
quite fast, slackened his pace and turning his head, said:

"My brothers are hungry, and they shall have to eat."

"Ye couldn't tell us better news," replied the grateful Terry, "though I
would be obliged to ye if ye would impart the information where there is
any chance of our gettin' any such thing, as the people used to say whin
me uncle on me mother's side offered to bet a sixpence on anythin'."

Deerfoot made no answer, but walking still more slowly, he was seen to
raise his hand to his mouth. Then followed the peculiar cry that a wild
turkey makes when it is lost from its companions. The Shawanoe knew that
the birds were in the surrounding woods, though none had shown itself.

By and by there was an answer to the call from a point ahead. Asking the
boys to wait where they were, he trotted lightly forward, and was not
absent ten minutes when he came back with a plump turkey, whose neck he
had wrung.

Since the lads had heard no report of a gun, they wanted to know by what
means he had secured it. He replied that he had stood behind a tree and
repeated the call until a group of the birds approached within a few
rods, when he made a dash among them, and seized his prize before she
could spread her wings and fly--all of which told of a dexterity that
few others