form of an Indian crawling
along the ground, followed closely by another advancing in the same
manner. The first reached the bank, when, without even raising himself,
he glided down it, and, sinking noiselessly into the water, began to
swim across. The next followed in the same manner.

"Now," whispered Gilbert; and aiming at the swimmer, he fired. Fenton
did the same. A cry rang through the night air: it was the death-shriek
of the second Indian. The first disappeared, and Gilbert concluded that
he had sunk, shot through the head, beneath the surface. Rolfe, with
Vaughan and Roger, came hurrying to the spot, followed by several other
men. Gilbert, pointing to the opposite bank, exclaimed, "There they
are!" A volley was fired. Whether or not any of the Indians were hit,
it was impossible to say; probably, finding themselves discovered, they
had dispersed on all sides, and crouching down beneath the grass, fled
to a distance.

"We have foiled them again!" exclaimed Gilbert, exultingly; "they will
not venture another night attack, I've a notion."

"We must not trust to that," observed Rolfe; "they are as persevering as
they are cunning, and, though defeated half a dozen times, they may hope
to succeed on the seventh. That was but a small party who have just now
retreated, and it may be that the main body are watching their
opportunity to attack us on the other side."

"I believe that you are right," said Vaughan; "we must make up our minds
to keep on the watch till daylight, for even now the enemy may be
lurking round us, though we cannot see them."

Vaughan, while speaking, was standing up on the higher part of the
knoll, whence he could view the plain on every side.

"If there should be any Indians near, you are affording them a good
mark, brother," exclaimed Gilbert. Just as he spoke an arrow whistled
through the air close to Vaughan's head and flew completely over the
knoll. It was evidently shot by a person at the base, close down to the
river.

"I thought that I had killed the Indian," exclaimed Gilbert, "but he
must have found his way to the shore. If we are quick about it, we
shall take him prisoner--who will follow me?"

"I will! and I will!" cried Fenton and Tarbox, leaping down the hill.

"Stay, stay," exclaimed Rolfe, "there may be others lurking near."

Gilbert and his companions did not hear him, and in an instant had
reached the bank of the river at the spot from whence they supposed