for listening and staring across
the dark, gliding water, which was full of life, startling him with the
belief that Pete had been attacked when some louder splash than usual
came from the direction the man had taken. Then the horrible thought
came that the poor fellow had been seized the moment he plunged in, and
that that loud wallowing noise was when he was dragged underneath. For,
though he listened so hard, there was nothing to prove that his comrade
was still swimming across the river; and his heart sank at the thought
of what would be a most horrible death.

Everything served to depress him more as he crouched there in the
enforced inaction; he could hear rustlings in the low water-growth as of
reptiles creeping along, the splashes in the river, and all about him
the croaking, hooting, and barking of the nocturnal creatures which made
the place their home; while, as if these were not sufficient, there was
the dread of pursuit, with their enemies hounding on the savage dogs,
which might spring upon him at any moment.

"Not without giving notice, though," he said to himself. "What a
nervous coward all this has made me! Why, the hounds would begin to bay
as soon as they took up the scent."

He listened again; but all was still save a splash or two, and he
bitterly repented that they had not thought of some signal--a whistle or
the like--to give warning that the river had been successfully crossed.

"He would do it," thought Nic, trying to be firm. "He is a splendid
swimmer. Why, it was wonderful what I believe he did when he tried to
save me--in irons, too."

Nic paused for a few moments longer to listen to the splashing which
went on; and then, recalling once more his companion's words, he
prepared to load the muskets.

But the first he tried proved to be loaded, and, on replacing the ramrod
and opening the pan, he found the priming all right. The next proved to
be in the same condition; and, once more laying the pieces down, he
crouched with his ear near the water to listen to the lapping and
splashing which went on. But there was nothing that he could interpret
to mean the movement of an oar or pole on a boat, and his heart began to
sink again lower and lower, till wild thoughts arose about his
companion's fate.

He would not give harbour to the suggestion that he had been dragged
down by the reptiles, but fancied that the boat might be securely
padlocked, or that Pete had got it out, and, not kno