some way, and seeing that I had but one paddle, and made but slow
progress, three of them, running on ahead, plunged into the stream, for
the evident purpose of cutting me off. I watched them as they
approached. If either of them should succeed in getting hold of the
canoe, I knew that my life would be lost. Fortunately they had
separated somewhat, and were some fathoms distant from each other down
the stream. I saw that my only chance was to destroy them in detail. I
dropped my paddle and seized my rifle. It was of course loaded. I had
no time to lose, for I had to fire and to load again to be ready for
another enemy. I took a steady aim. The savage leaped out of the
water, casting a look at me of the most intense hatred, and then down he
went like a shot, leaving a red streak on the water to mark the spot. I
loaded rapidly; the next fellow darted on, hoping to catch hold of the
canoe before I was ready to fire; but I was too quick for him. When he
saw this, he dived, thinking to escape my bullet. I was surprised at
the length of time he kept under water. I thought that he would never
come up again.

"I dared not exchange my rifle for my paddle, or I would have got over
farther to the opposite bank. All my attention was fixed on the spot
where I knew that his head would appear. The instant I caught sight of
his savage countenance grinning up at me, my bullet entered his brain,
and he sank like his comrade. I had not time to finish loading before
the third fellow, by desperate exertion, had got hold of the bow of the
canoe with one of his hands, while with the other he attempted to seize
my right arm, which was employed in ramming down the bullet into my
rifle. He had his knife in his teeth, and I saw that the moment he had
grasped my arm, he would seize it with his other hand, and plunge it
into my side. My great fear was that he would upset the canoe, so that
I had to lean back on the opposite side to prevent him from so doing.
There is no more cunning or treacherous a varmint than a true-bred
red-skin. When he found that I saw what he was at, he pretended to fall
backwards, and as I stretched over to unloosen his hand from the gunwale
of the canoe, he sprang up by a sudden stroke of his feet, and clutched
me by the throat.

"So tight did he press my windpipe, that I felt I had but a slight
chance of escaping with my life; still, I had lived too long a hunter's
life to think of giving in while a h