se thicket of
succulent growth glittering in the sunshine, where the leaves were still
moist with dew, and some hundred or a hundred and fifty yards away there
once more was the other edge of the forest, rising up over a rich band
of growth similar to that which was close to where we stood.

The river lay between, I knew, though invisible from where we stood; and
for the moment I felt more hopeful, for, after the long, dark tramp
through the wilderness, we seemed to be now on the broad high-road which
led straight past home.

Then my heart sank again, as I felt that perhaps the Indians were
already on our track, and that even if they were not, they were between
us and safety.

My reverie was interrupted by Pomp, who said briskly--

"Now, Mass' George, what you tink?"

"We must get across the river at once."

Pomp made a grimace.

"How we 'wim ober dah wid de 'gator all awaiting to hab us for
breakfass, Mass' George?"

I shuddered as I thought of the task, but it seemed as if that was the
only thing to do, and then tramp along the opposite bank downward.

"What are you doing?" I said, as the boy began to step about,
cautiously penetrating once more into the forest, and stopping at last
beside a moderate-sized pine, whose trunk was dotted with the stumps of
dead branches, till about fifty feet from the ground, where it formed a
pretty dense tuft, whose top was well in the sunlight.

"Now we go up dah and hide, and rest a bit."

"But why not try that tree, or that, or that?" I said; and I pointed
rapidly to three or four more, all far more thickly clothed with branch
and foliage.

"If Injum come he fink p'raps we hide in dah, an' look. No fink we get
up dat oder tree. Injum berry 'tupid."

"But hadn't we better try and get across or down the stream?"

Pomp shook his head.

"See Injum, and dey dreffle cross dat we run 'way. Wait a bit, Mass'
George."

"But my father--yours--and Morgan?"

"Well, what 'bout um, Mass' George?"

"We ought to warn them."

"Dey must take care ob demself. No good to go and be caught. Dat not
help um fader."

There was so much truth in this that I did not oppose Pomp's plan of
getting up in the tree, and hiding until the pursuit was over. For it
was only reasonable to suppose that after a thorough hunt in one
direction, the Indians would come in the other. Besides, I was utterly
wearied out the previous evening, and glad to rest my tired limbs by
hanging against