than at a moment when it appeared that even her life was suspended, as
it might be, by a hair.

"It is as you say," she answered gently, giving him her hand with much
of her ancient frankness of manner; "we should be betrayed, and of
course lost--but what means the movement at the Hut?"

There was indeed a movement within the stockade. Maud's absence was now
clearly ascertained, and it is needless to describe the commotion the
circumstance produced. No one thought any longer of the half of the
gate that still remained to be hung, but every supposable part of the
house and enclosure had been examined in quest of her who was missing.
Our heroine's last remark, however, was produced by certain indications
of an intention to make a descent from one of the external windows of
the common parlour, a room it will be remembered that stood on the
little cliff, above the rivulet that wound beneath its base. This cliff
was about forty feet high, and though it offered a formidable obstacle
to any attempt to scale it, there was no great difficulty in an active
man's descending, aided by a rope. The spot, too, was completely
concealed from the view of the party which still remained on the rock,
near the mill, at a distance of quite half a mile from the gates of the
stockade. This fact greatly facilitated the little sortie, since, once
in the bed of the rivulet, which was fringed with bushes, it would be
very practicable, by following its windings, to gain the forest unseen.
The major levelled his glass at the windows, and immediately saw the
truth of all that has here been mentioned.

"They are preparing to send a party out," he said, "and doubtless in
quest of you, Maud. The thing is very feasible, provided the savages
remain much longer in their present position. It is matter of surprise