e act. This was just what Old Moggy had
expected and desired. Not a gun remained undischarged, and before they
could reload, she passed quickly over the open ground and bounded into
the cave, where she turned and shook aloft the two guns with a hoarse
laugh of triumph ere she sought the shelter of the ledge of rock.

The Indians were so filled with fury at being thus outwitted by an old
woman, that they forgot for a moment their usual caution, and rushed in
a body up the slope; but ere they had accomplished half the distance two
of their number fell, to rise no more. This was sufficient to check
their career. Howling with baffled rage, and without waiting to pick up
their fallen comrades, they darted right and left to seek the shelter of
the bushes, for they could no longer remain in the open ground, now that
their enemies were armed.

For nearly an hour after this all was silence. Maximus and his
companions could only form conjectures as to the movements of the
Indians, for none of them were to be seen. However, as they had no
resource but to remain in their retreat until night-fall, they
endeavoured to make the place as comfortable as possible, and busied
themselves in cleaning their arms.

It happened that from the cave's mouth they could see their canoe, which
still lay on the beach where they had originally left it; and, while
they were looking at it, they perceived one of the Indians stealing down
towards it. Fortunately Maximus had a gun in his hand ready loaded, and
the instant the Indian appeared he fired and shot him. No second Indian
dared to venture towards the little craft, although it lay only a few
yards distant from the edge of the forest; for they knew that the
watchful eye of the Esquimau was upon them, and that instant death would
be the fate of him who should make the attempt. The little canoe now
became an object of intense interest to both parties. The Indians knew
that if their foe should succeed in reaching it he could easily escape.
This, of course, he could not hope to do as long as daylight lasted; nor
even when night should arrive, unless it were a very dark one. But, on
the other hand, they knew that they did not dare to venture near it so
long as there was sufficient light to enable Maximus to take aim at them
with his deadly gun. Both parties, therefore, remained silent and
apparently inactive during the remainder of the day.

But the busy brains both of Indians and Esquimau