've never been in no countries where
squirrels shies nuts and acorns at people. I've always seen 'em in
cages spinning round and round."

"That's what it was, Esau. There's nobody watching. Now then, how are
you going to mark the tree?"

He looked at me rather sulkily, but began to smile directly, as he drew
his keen-edged knife across the trunk of the great tree upon which he
was going to operate before. Then, making a parallel incision close to
the first, he produced a white streak where he removed the bark.

"Well," I said, "that's as bad as anything."

"No, it ain't: wait a bit," he said; and carving away at the thick bark,
he made four deep incisions at one end so as to form an arrow-head, and
eight at the other end for the feathering of the arrow, so that when he
had ended there was a rough white arrow on the red bark pointing down
the river, and of course in the direction of the Fort.

"There!" he said, triumphantly. "No brave will think that means gold in
the stream, will he?"

I confessed that it was most unlikely, and we started off home.

"Wouldn't old Quong like to know of that?" I said.

"Yes; he'd give something--half of what he found I dare say," cried
Esau; "but he isn't going to know, nor anybody else, from me."

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

"ON MY WORD OF HONOUR."

I felt rather startled when we left the valley, for we came suddenly
upon a large party of Indians who seemed very different to the quiet,
stolid-looking beings we had been accustomed to see with their skin
canoes, or busy fishing along the side of the river. These were
swarthy, fierce-looking fellows, mounted on sturdy, wiry-looking
ponies--steeds which they sat admirably.

It might be thought that they would be as much surprised and startled as
we were, but they did not make a sign to indicate that they even saw us,
but rode slowly along, well armed, and with their long hair, feathers,
and gaily-coloured blankets, giving them a brightly picturesque look.

"They don't mean mischief, do they?" whispered Esau.

"No, they must be friendly Indians," I said; "and look, they've got
packs on those other horses. I know: they are taking skins up to the
Fort."

This proved to be the case, for the party kept right on in the same
track as we were taking, halting a short distance from the gate of the
Fort; but, though we were pretty close to them all the time, they never
made the slightest sign of being aware of our presence; and