posing and terrible enough. The
pursuers were four in number--the jailer, two of the Georgia guard, and
another person unknown to him.

As Munro had predicted, they did not venture to plunge in as the
fugitives had done--they had no such fearful motive for the risk; and
the few moments which they consumed in deliberation as to what they
should do, contributed not a little to the successful experiment of the
swimmers.

But the youth at length caught a fearful signal of preparation; his ear
noted the sharp click of the lock, as the rifle was referred to in the
final resort; and his ready sense conceived but of one, and the only
mode of evading the danger so immediately at hand. Too conspicuous in
his present situation to hope for escape, short of a miracle, so long as
he remained upon the back of the swimming horse, he relaxed his hold,
carefully drew his feet from the stirrups, resigned his seat, and only a
second before the discharge of the rifle, was deeply buried in the bosom
of the Chestatee.

The steed received the bullet in his head, plunged forward madly, to the
no small danger of Ralph, who had now got a little before him, but in a
few moments lay supine upon the stream, and was borne down by its
current. The youth, practised in such exercises, pressed forward under
the surface for a sufficient time to enable him to avoid the present
glance of the enemy, and at length, in safety, rounding a jutting point
of the shore, which effectually concealed him from their eyes, he gained
the dry land, at the very moment in which Munro, with more success, was
clambering, still mounted, up the steep sides of a neighboring and
slippery bank.

Familiar with such scenes, the landlord had duly estimated the doubtful
chances of his life in swimming the river directly in sight of the
pursuers. He had, therefore, taken the precaution to oblique
considerably to the left from the direct course, and did not, in
consequence, appear in sight, owing to the sinuous windings of the
stream, until he had actually gained the shore.

The youth beheld him at this moment, and shouted aloud his own situation
and safety. In a voice indicative of restored confidence in himself, no
less than in his fate, the landlord, by a similar shout, recognised him,
and was bending forward to the spot where he stood, when the sharp and
joint report of three rifles from the opposite banks, attested the
discovery of his person; and, in the same instant, the ri