hide his footprints from the prying eyes of his enemies.
He knew he was leaving a trail which was as easy for his enemies to
follow, as though he walked in the yielding sand. Much as he regretted
the fact, it could not be helped so long as the darkness lasted, and he
wasted no efforts in the attempt to do so. It would be far otherwise
when he should have daylight to help him.

Fortunately perhaps, he had not long to wait. He had not gone far when
he observed the increasing light which speedily announced the rising of
the sun; but he was shocked to find that despite his care and previous
experience in tramping through the wilderness, he had got much off his
course. Instead of the orb appearing directly in front of him, as he
expected it to do, it rose on his right hand, showing that instead of
pursuing an easterly course he was going north--a direction which took
him very little nearer his home than if he traveled directly opposite.

As may be supposed, Jack had no sooner learned his mistake than he faced
about and corrected it.

"I've got my bearings now," he muttered confidently, "and I know too
much about this business to drift off again. Hurrah!"

He could not deny himself the luxury of one shout and the toss of his
cap in the air. This completed, he strode forward with more dignified
step, and settled down to work, after the manner of a sensible youth who
appreciates the task before him. He calculated that he was two or three
miles from the Indian village, much closer than was comfortable, and he
could not stop to eat or rest until it should be increased. He felt that
this day was to be the decisive one. If he could keep beyond the reach
of his pursuers until the setting of the sun, he would throw them off
his trail so effectively that they could never recover it.

"And why shouldn't I do it?" he asked, confidently: "Deerfoot taught me
how to hide my tracks, and I never can have a better chance than now,
where everything is in my favor."

He alluded to the number of streams, the rocky and diversified surface
and the general rugged character of the country through which his
journey was leading him.

In such a region there must be numerous opportunities for covering his
trail from the penetrating glance of those who had spent their lives in
studying the ways of the woods. The stealthy tread of the shoe or
moccasin over the flinty rock left no impression, but it was hardly
possible to find enough of such surfac