should retrace the
ground, carefully beating the bushes for "game", they would be sure to
drive it out.

Jack found the care of the bow of Deerfoot quite a burden. It was
continually in his way, and was of no help at all. Seeing his
embarrassment, the Sauk took it in charge, while the youth suspended the
quiver over his shoulder.

The Pawnees did not make the search that was dreaded, and it is not
difficult to guess the reason. They had just lost one of their number,
and, though there seemed to be only two foes near them, yet they must
have suspected there were more. These strangers could do terrific
fighting, as they had proven, and the five Pawnees preferred to await
the arrival of re-enforcements, which would soon come from the other
side. In truth, a study of the events which followed, as well of those
which preceded, shows good reason to believe the curious coincidence
that the Pawnees were as ignorant of the reappearance of the Shawanoe on
the other bank, as he was of the passage of the river by the half dozen
hostiles in their canoe.

But the report of the rifle, the death-shriek, and the shouts of the
Pawnees, had given Deerfoot an inkling of the truth, before he was able
to learn all by investigation on his own part. Still it was a most
annoying interference with a daring scheme he had set on foot, and which
was in danger of being overthrown altogether. The brow of the youth
wrinkled with impatience, for he knew that all this skirmishing could
have been saved to his friends, had they used care; but at the moment he
was most discouraged, events took an unexpected turn in his favor.

Meanwhile Jack Carleton and Hay-uta did not stir for several minutes,
but, as they listened, it seemed to the youth that their enemies
required not to come very nigh, in order to locate them by the
tumultuous throbbing of his heart. He was sure the brief silence which
followed was occupied by the Pawnees in looking for them, but, as I have
shown in another place, he erred. The rippling of water caused both to
turn their heads, and, through the interlacing vegetation behind, they
caught a glimpse of the canoe and its five occupants, heading toward the
other side. The Sauk softly insinuated his hand between the leaves, so
as to give a better view (though he ran much risk), and Jack ventured to
peep forth.

The Pawnees, as our friends believed, had gone back for re-enforcements.
Possibly a score, more or less, of warriors would be