my
place of concealment. I knew the tricks they were up to, and that very
likely they would have remained in ambush in the hope of my coming back
to look after my friends. If they had killed Blount, then I felt sure
they would not have stopped, but if they had found out that there were
three of us, and he was still at large, then I considered it probable
that they would be endeavouring to catch us, and that the very greatest
caution would be necessary in my proceedings. Still I could not delay
till night to commence my progress, which would have been the safest
plan; for, in the first place, the Indians, if they had moved, would
have got too much the start of me, and I was already so hungry that I
was ready to run any risk to procure food to appease my appetite.

"At last I could wait no longer. I slipped into my canoe, and emerging
from my hiding-place, went across the stream as fast as my one paddle
could urge me. When I was about half-way over I saw something moving
among the bushes. I stopped paddling and seized my rifle. It might be
an Indian, or it might be a bear, or a stag. I was ready for anything.
Just as I brought my rifle to my shoulder I heard a voice sing out,
`Hollo, Short! don't fire, old feller.'

"I knew at once that it was Blount who spoke, and right glad I was to
hear him. Down went my rifle, and I paddled away, you may be sure, as
hard as I could till I reached the shore where he, as big as life, stood
ready to receive me. We shook hands warmly, and then he told me that he
had been up the tree all the time; that he had watched the Indians
pursuing me along the banks of the river, but could not tell whether or
not they had killed me, though he saw them return with diminished
numbers, and guessed that at all events I had not died without a
desperate fight.

"When they came back they hunted about all round our camp, carried off
or destroyed all our property, and at last retired farther into the
woods to join their comrades. All the night he had spent in a state of
uncertainty about me, and it was not till the following morning, when he
saw the Indians come down to the river, and watched their movements,
that he guessed I was alive and had paid them a visit. He saw them go
away, and he then descended the tree, and like a cat in pursuit of a
bird, crept after them. To his great satisfaction he saw them breaking
up their camp, and then they moved off towards the north-west. Still he
foll