stayed me.

"Hist!" he whispered. "Hold steady and listen. They can not see us from
above; mayhap we've thrown them off the scent."

I thought it most unlikely; but his guess was right and mine was wrong.
Though any of these savages could lift a trail in daylight, following it
at top speed like a trained blood-hound, yet now the darkness baffled
them.

So there was some running to and fro in the road above our heads, and
then the troopers galloped down. Followed hastily a labored confab
through the linguister, broken in the midst by a fury of hot oaths from
Falconnet; and then the chase swept on toward the plantations, and we
were left to make their losing of us sure by whatsoever means we chose.

We paddled slowly up stream in silence, keeping well within the blacker
shadow of the tree fringe. When we came opposite the glowing ruins of
the hunting lodge, Jennifer backed upon his paddle.

"You'll go ashore?" said he.

I said I would, adding: "They have slaughtered poor old Darius, and I am
loath to leave his bones for the buzzards to pick."

He made no comment other than to swear in sympathy. When the pirogue
grounded, the Indian was out like a cat, to vanish phantom-wise among
the trees. I followed in some clumsier fashion, leaving Jennifer to
keep the canoe; but half way up the hill he joined me, and would not
turn back for all my urging. "No; hang me if I'll let you out of