at the coming foe; but his quick and ready mind was active in devising
some means of saving the life of his child.

'Load my gun, Henrich!' he exclaimed. 'I cannot long continue this
speed. Be steady, and be quick: our lives depend upon it!'

The gallant boy instantly obeyed the difficult command; and the instant
it was done, Rodolph dropped on one knee, supported his bleeding son on
the other, and taking a deliberate aim at the Indian, who was preparing
to leap from the rock into the path behind them, he fired. The upraised
arms of the savage fell powerless--the heavy axe dropped from his
hand--and, falling forward over the rock, he lay expiring in the narrow
pathway. The feathery coronets of several of his comrades were seen
above the bushes at some distance: and again the father raised his son,
who now hung fainting in his arms, and hurried, with renewed speed,
towards the shore. As he neared it, he met two of his companions who,
having reached the boat, had missed him and Henrich, and hastened back
to secure their retreat. It was a seasonable reinforcement, for
Rodolph's strength was failing him. He gave his boy into the arms of
one of his friends, and loading his gun, he stood with the other, to
defend the passage to the shore. The savages came on; and the white men
fired, and retreated, loading as they fell back, and again firing;
until their pursuers, either wounded or disheartened, came to a stand
still, and contented themselves with yelling their discordant war-cry,
and shooting arrows, which happily missed their aim.

The whole party embarked safely, and were soon beyond the reach of the
missiles which the Indians continued to discharge; and Maitland had the
joy of seeing young Henrich speedily recover his senses, and his spirit
too. It was evident that the arrows used by the red men on this