he only thing for him to do was to make
his captors believe (if it was possible) that he had given over all hope
of getting away. Could he lull their suspicion, it would be a most
important point accomplished; but the youth might well feel misgivings
on that point, for it presupposed a stupidity on the part of the Indians
contrary to what he knew concerning them.

It must not be thought that the boy believed he could make the warriors
think he was content to remain their prisoner; that would have been the
height of absurdity; but he did seek to convince them by his manner that
he had given up the intention of running away, because he knew the
attempt must be hopeless. Having failed so completely, he was not
foolish enough to repeat the essay, when he was likely to anger the
Indians to that point that they would punish him for it.

It will be understood, therefore, why Jack Carleton remained standing
with folded arms, while his captors were busying themselves around him.
He looked at the flames as they crept up against the bark and scorched
the rough coat of the massive oak, and he noted more than one furtive
glance cast toward him. He pretended to see them not, but stood gloomy,
sorrowful, and despairing.

Suddenly the dull crack of a rifle rang out, and Jack started. His first
impression was that a party of white men or Indians had attacked them,
but when he noticed the indifference of those around, he saw his
mistake. They did not so much as look to the right or left, nor make any
remark to each other. Evidently they expected something of the kind.

Within the space of five minutes, the two warriors who had left a short
time before, reappeared. The foremost carried his rifle at a trail and
had no game, but his companion, directly behind him, held by the feet a
large wild gobbler, shot but a short time previous.

Jack Carleton could not but wonder how it was this dusky hunter was able
to secure the bird on such short notice. The turkeys, at the time he
started to look for them, must have all gone to roost among the trees.
The gloom was such that it was almost impossible for the keenest eye to
distinguish them. They may have given some evidence of their presence,
but Jack was surprised over the success of the red men in obtaining
supper before, as may be said, the fire could be made ready to roast it.

"Otto and I have hunted for hours in Kentucky where the game is as
abundant as it is here, and we were not able to