and fully five had gone by, and
still nothing was seen of the Shawanoe, who, they were assured, had
leaped into the river. Before this, the warriors looked wonderingly at
each other, unable to guess what it could all mean.

Had he bounded across the creek? Wide as it was, the possibility had
been considered from the first, and, when the seconds were well along,
the leader called to those on the other side to examine the margin for
the imprints of the Indian's moccasins. Striking with such force, the
dents would be in sight from across the stream. As it was easy to
identify the spot where he made the leap, it was equally easy to
determine the precise point where the telltale footprints should appear.

But the minute scrutiny of the edge of the creek proved that no moccasin
had touched it. And that being the case, the question came back as to
what had become of the fugitive.

"The dog of a Shawanoe is at the bottom," was the natural remark of the
leader. "He has gone down, and the Great Spirit is so angry with him
that he will not permit him to rise."

That was a curious explanation of the occurrence, but it appeared to be
about the only one left to the pursuers, who were not fully satisfied
even with that. We are aware that a person who springs into the water,
even if he can not swim a stroke, is pretty sure to come up once or
twice. The Pawnees knew of a verity that the Shawanoe must be an
excellent swimmer, and it certainly was inexplainable if he did not
reappear.

"Did he leave the shore?" asked one of those who had approached from the
side toward which Deerfoot had sped.

"We saw him run for it as runs the deer," was the reply.

"But the Shawanoe is like the weasel; he may have turned aside and sped
up or down the stream, with his head bent so low that he could not be
seen."

"The eyes of Wimmoroo were open," said the leader, who, in spite of his
assurance, began to feel suspicious that some trick had been played upon
them, though, as yet, he could not define its nature.

"What did the eyes of Wimmoroo tell him?" asked the other, showing a
Yankee-like persistency in his questions.

"They showed him the dog of a Shawanoe, as he bounded high in air and
strove to reach the other shore."

"Can Wimmoroo make sure the Shawanoe did not leap in the air and then
place his feet on the ground where they were before?"

Could it be possible that such a strategy had been used? He began an
examination, two of his wa