ve very
far off, and if they should come down and find me sailing away with it,
I don't know what would follow."

However, the opportunity was the very one he was anxious to secure, and
he was too wise to allow any fancy that might cross his mind to frighten
him from turning it to the best account. Guiding the canoe to the middle
of the creek, he faced down current, and used his improvised paddle with
all the skill and strength at his command. The stream, as I have said,
ran rapidly, so that with his exertions he made good progress.

He was struck with the similarity of the shores to those of the larger
stream which ran by the Indian village. The wood was dense, and at
intervals was so exuberant that it looked difficult for a rabbit to
penetrate. Then came long spaces where the forest was so open that he
could look far into its depths. The course of the creek was so winding
that he could see only a short distance ahead, and several times his own
momentum carried him close into land before he could accommodate himself
to the abrupt curve around which he shot with no inconsiderable speed.

There remained the comforting thought that every minute thus occupied
was taking him further from his captors, who were without the means of
following his trail; but at the very moment when Jack was felicitating
himself on the fact, he was startled by a most alarming discovery.

CHAPTER XXXII.

A MISCALCULATION.

The youth had stopped paddling for a few minutes' rest, when he observed
that he was close upon a broad clearing which came close to the water's
edge. He had scarcely time to notice that much when he saw several large
conical objects, and before he knew it, he was floating in front of an
Indian village, numbering some twelve or fifteen wigwams. Squaws,
children, and even warriors were lolling about very much as in the Sauk
village, from which he had fled only a short time before.

It fairly took away the breath of Jack. In all his fancies he had not
once thought of anything like this, or he would have avoided running
into what promised to prove a fatal trap.

"My gracious!" he gasped, "this is a little too much of a good thing;
it'll never do at all."

The settlement was on the right hand bank of the stream, which just
there had a northerly course. It was, therefore, on the shore where the
fugitive desired to land. Dipping his improvised paddle, he drove the
boat ahead with all the power he could command, and