nees, two of whom
were paddling the boat straight for the bank on which the Sauk and young
Kentuckian had been practicing archery.

Jack Carleton saw that his friend had made some discovery, and he
stepped quickly to his side. He did not heed the warning gesture of
Hay-uta, and it took only a few seconds to learn the whole truth. Both
moved back, allowing the leaves to close again. The Sauk then lay flat
on his face and the lad did the same; in that posture neither could be
detected by any parties on the river.

It was noteworthy that, although the Pawnees were using no special
caution in crossing the river, and though they were but a few rods
distant, yet the swinging of their paddles and the advance of the canoe
were so noiseless that Hay-uta and Jack only discovered them, as may be
said, by accident.

Without taking time to consider the significance of the proceeding, the
friends on shore must needs use great care to avoid a dangerous
complication. If the Pawnees should learn where they were, the chances
were ten to one that they would either kill or capture both.

There was good ground, however, to hope that delicate as was the
situation of our friends they were likely to escape. Although nearly
opposite to the Sauk, when he first saw the party, and heading as they
were for the spot where he stood, yet the swift current carried the boat
downward, so that it was sure to land a distance below. The footprints
made by Jack Carleton, Hay-uta and Deerfoot did not lie in that
direction, and, therefore, the peril was at its minimum, unless some
impulse should lead the Pawnees to turn and move up stream. It remained
to be seen whether that would be the case.

The two, therefore, lay still, listening and peering into the shrubbery
and undergrowth which grew between them and the margin of the river. The
straining ear was able to catch the faint sound of a ripple against the
prow of the heavy laden canoe, and once or twice the dip of the paddle
was heard. Then the Pawnee who was the leader said something in the
guttural voice peculiar to his race, and one of his warriors answered.

All this was a relief to the couple, for it was proof that no one in the
canoe suspected the truth, they had no thought that two of the parties
whom, most probably, they were seeking, were anywhere near them.

The soft rippling sound which occasionally came to the watchers showed
that the canoe was drifting with the current and that it would l