had concealed in his canoe a prisoner on parole--nay,
worse, a deserter from our service--with a view of
conveying him out of the country?"

"How did you know it?"

"Because I at once recognized him, through the disguise
in which he left the hut, for what he was. That discovery
made, there remained but one course to pursue."

"Ah! and COURSE work you made of it, with a vengeance,"
said Middlemore, "first started him up like a fox from
his cover, got the mark of his teeth, and then suffered
him to escape."

"Is there no chance of following--no means of overtaking
them?" said Captain Molineux--"No, by Heaven," as he
glanced his eye from right to left, "not a single canoe
to be seen any where along the shore."

"Following!" echoed Middlemore; "faith the scoundrels
would desire nothing better: if two of us had such
indifferent play with them on terra firma, you may rely
upon it that double the number would have no better chance
in one of these rickety canoes. See there how the rascals
lie to within half musket shot, apparently hailing us."

Middlemore was right. Desborough had risen in the stern
of the canoe, and now, stretched to his full height,
called leisurely, through his closed hands, on the name