d along
the bottom like a hare. At the same moment that terrific yell, which
has so often chilled the heart's blood of men and women in those western
wilds, rang through the forest, telling that they were discovered, and
that the Indians were in pursuit.

Bertram kept close to the heels of the old trapper at first, but before
he had run fifty yards he tripped and fell again. On attempting to rise
he was seized and thrown violently to the ground by an Indian warrior.
Looking back and observing this, Redhand turned at once, like a hare
doubling on its course, and rushed to the rescue; but before he reached
his friend he was surrounded by a dozen yelling Indians. At the
foremost of these he levelled his pistol, but the faithless weapon
missed fire, and he was in the act of hurling it at his adversary, when
a blow from behind felled him to the ground.

While this was going on, the trappers were bounding to the succour of
their comrades. When they came to the field of action and saw neither
of their friends (for they had been borne swiftly away), and beheld an
overwhelming band of armed savages rushing towards them, they at once
perceived that strength or courage could avail them nothing in such an
unequal conflict; so they turned and fled, scattering themselves among
the bushes so as to divert pursuit as much as possible.

Bounce and Gibault were the only two who kept together. These made for
the spot where the canoe had been left, but the latter outran the former
so quickly that he was soon lost to view ahead of him. In a few minutes
Bounce gained the bank of the stream, and seized the end of the canoe.
To his amazement Gibault was nowhere to be seen. But he had no time for
thought, for at that moment he was discovered by two Indians who ran
towards him. The canoe was launched, and a paddle seized in an instant,
but the trusty trapper was loath, even in his extremity, to push off
while his comrade might be in danger.

"Ho! Gibault! Gibault Noir!" he shouted. "Quick, lad; yer too late
a'most, ho!"

Grinding his teeth in an agony of anxiety, he made a sudden dart at the
foremost Indian, who little dreamed of such an attack, and hit him with
the paddle with all his force. The savage dropped like a stone, and the
paddle flew into a dozen splinters. This was a foolish act on the part
of Bounce, for the second Indian was now close upon him, and, seeing the
fate of his companion, he stopped short, and hastily fi