ld they obtain the information they required. They
therefore marched on merrily, and having the river on their right, they
had now only one side to guard. As the land was level and not thickly
timbered, they could keep close to the water. As Batten had not spoken
about a river, they concluded that he had not been carried to the north
of the stream along which they were making their way, and that therefore
they must be in the neighbourhood of the district in which he had been
held captive. As they had cooked the remainder of their venison at
their last halting-place, they judged it wise not to light a fire lest
they might attract Indians to their camp at night, who might at all
events disturb their rest. Thus Roger and Vaughan thought they might
probably have passed Indian villages without being discovered. They
came to two or three small streams, through which they waded, though the
water was above their waists, while Ben Tarbox carried Oliver on his
shoulders.

At length, however, another stream was reached too broad and deep to be
crossed in this fashion; a ford might exist, they thought, further up,
and they accordingly were proceeding along the bank when Roger's eye
fell upon a canoe hauled up on the shore some way ahead. This would
afford them the means of crossing, they hoped; but on reaching her it
was found that she was formed of birch bark, that her side was battered
in, and that she was indeed little better than a sieve. She was of no
avail, therefore, for their purpose.

The existence of a canoe in that place went to show that the natives
were not far off; still Roger and Vaughan determined to cross, as they
were unwilling to get farther from the main stream. They set to work,
therefore, to cut down a number of small trees to form a raft. While
they were thus engaged, Vaughan with his usual companion, Oliver Dane,
proceeded a little higher up along the bank in search of game, Roger
cautioning them not to go far. In a short time Oliver came back, saying
that he had caught sight of an Indian in a canoe, spearing fish amid
some rapids which ran across the stream; but as the fisher had not seen
him, they might easily go back without being discovered.

"If we can avoid alarming him, and get him to come to us, which he may
do, by seeing only two persons, it may prove a favourable opportunity
for obtaining information," observed Vaughan; "we must proceed
cautiously, however, and I will keep out of sight