two. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none if that redskin had a wheen more o' them
sharp-p'inted sticks in his--The Lord be praised for all His marcies!
the chief's got him!"

But Uncanoola had not. He came in presently, his black eyes snapping
with disappointment, saying in answer to Yeates's question that the yell
had been his own; that his tomahawk had sped no truer than the old
borderer's bullet.

"Chelakee snake heap slick: heap quick dodge," was all we could get out
of him; and when that was said he squatted calmly on a flat stone and
fell to work grinding the nick out of the edge of the mis-sped hatchet.

This incident told us plainly enough that the kidnappers were now but a
little way ahead, and that their rear-guard scouts were holding us well
in hand. So from that on we went as men whose lives are held in pawn by
a hidden foe, looking at every turn for an ambushment. Nevertheless, we
were not waylaid again; and when at length the long hot afternoon drew
to its close with the mountain of peril well behind us, we had neither
seen nor heard aught else of the Cherokees.

That night we camped, fireless and foodless, on the banks of a
swift-flowing stream in a valley between two great mountains. We reached
this stream a little before dark, and since the trail led straight into
the water, we would have put this obstacle behind us if we could. But
though the little river was not above five or six poles in width it was
exceeding swift and deep; so impassable, in truth, that we were moved to
wonder how the captive party had made shift to cross.

We guessed at it a while, Richard and I, and then gave it up until we