see whether he could
possibly catch sight of his acquaintances, but they whisked from cover
to cover so dexterously that he had not the encouragement even to hope
for success, and so he did not fire.

But a new fear took possession of the fugitive. If they were Indians, it
was to be expected that they had canoes somewhere, and if they were
speedily found, he would as speedily be overhauled.

"In which case Tim O'Rooney will lose his daar, and be the same towken
lose himself, and the boys won't get their dinner."

He squinted at the sun, now low in the sky, and quickly asked himself:

"If a man doesn't git his dinner, and ates half-way atween noon and
midnight, is it his dinner or supper? But that is a mighty question, is
the same."

He evidently concluded it was too vast for him to decide, for he
speedily dismissed it and turned his attention to that which more nearly
concerned him. Still toiling with his hand, much in the same manner that
a child would dabble in the water, he kept up the tardy movement of the
canoe until he began to grow fearless again, and he took his paddle once
more.

Now, when it was almost too late, he found that he could use it without
danger to himself. By bending his body forward, the deer protected him
and he could labor with impunity.

"Tim O'Rooney, I fears yez are lacking in the iliments which go to make
up a mon of sense. Why didn't yez think of this when it would have done
yez more good?"

When he was yet within a few yards of shore, he looked back and was not
a little frightened to see that the savages had launched a canoe and
were coming across the river with the speed of the swallow.

"Whisht now! but that is onexpected," said he, as he redoubled his own
exertions. Observing that his pursuers were rapidly gaining, he suddenly
recalled an artifice that he had seen practiced during his experience in
the mines years before. Catching up his rifle, he aimed it at the
advancing Indians.

Quick as a flash they ducked their heads and held up the two paddles
they were using as a protection against the expected bullet. But it was
not Tim's purpose to fire. He knew better than to do that, for ere he
could have reloaded they would have been upon him.

The minute they stooped he lowered his gun and caught up his paddle and
used it furiously. In this he was imitated by the Indians, whose
superior skill sent their frail vessel forward with such velocity that
it looked as if they would