hail. "Ahoy! Gordon. Ahoy!"

"Why, he is swimming back," I cried. "Ah!" shouted Gunson, running
back. "The Indians! It was about their time."

Almost as he spoke, the end of a canoe propelled by four Indians came
into sight slowly from behind the trees, and as it drew a little further
into view, I could see Esau's head just above the side right back in the
stern, and this was followed by one bare arm, which was waved in the
air, and he shouted--"Gordon. Ahoy! Got my clothes?" Gunson gave his
foot an angry stamp, and walked back to the settler's house.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

WE START UP THE RIVER.

"Esau!" I cried, half hysterically, as the canoe was paddled up to the
wharf; "you frightened us horribly."

"You?" he said, coolly, "frightened you? Why, you should have been me."

I said nothing then, but made signs to the Indians, who, partly from my
motions, and partly from their understanding a few words of English,
paddled the boat up to where we had undressed; and as Esau leaped
ashore, and hurried on his clothes, he went on talking readily enough,
though I could hardly say a word.

"Yes, I did begin to get a bit scared when I found I couldn't do
anything to paddle ashore," said Esau quietly. "It does run fast. And
as soon as I was in the full stream, away I went. Didn't have no
trouble about swimming, only a stroke now and then to keep one's head
right; river did all the rest. I could have gone on for an hour, I dare
say, if I could have kept from being frightened, but--don't tell old
Gunson--I was scared, and no mistake."

"Till you saw the Indians with the canoe," I said huskily.

"What?" cried Esau, staring at me in astonishment. "Why that made me
ever so much more frightened. How did I know but what they wanted to
pull all the hair off my head? Why, I tried to swim away from them, and
dived down when they were getting close, so as to let them paddle right
by. I stopped under too as long as I could, and when I came up, if they
hadn't managed their boat just so as one of 'em could duck his hand down
and catch hold of my curly hair."

"Esau!"

"I shouted and struggled, but he held tight, and another came to help
him, and they dragged me over the side into the boat, where I durstn't
kick for fear of poking my feet through the bottom, for it's only skin
stretched over a frame, just as you might make a boat as one would an
umbrella, only I don't think they could shut it up."

"But th