ident told us plainly enough that the kidnappers were now but a
little way ahead, and that their rear-guard scouts were holding us well
in hand. So from that on we went as men whose lives are held in pawn by
a hidden foe, looking at every turn for an ambushment. Nevertheless, we
were not waylaid again; and when at length the long hot afternoon drew
to its close with the mountain of peril well behind us, we had neither
seen nor heard aught else of the Cherokees.

That night we camped, fireless and foodless, on the banks of a
swift-flowing stream in a valley between two great mountains. We reached
this stream a little before dark, and since the trail led straight into
the water, we would have put this obstacle behind us if we could. But
though the little river was not above five or six poles in width it was
exceeding swift and deep; so impassable, in truth, that we were moved to
wonder how the captive party had made shift to cross.

We guessed at it a while, Richard and I, and then gave it up until we
might have the help of better daylight. But the old borderer's curiosity
was not so readily postponed. Cutting a slim pole from a sapling
thicket, he waded in cautiously, anchoring himself by the drooping
branches of the willows whilst he prodded and sounded and proved beyond
a doubt that the current was over man-head deep, and far too rapid for
swimming.

Satisfied of this, he came out, dripping, and with a monitory word to us
to keep a sharp lookout, disappeared up-stream in the growing dusk, his
long rifle at the trail, and his body bent to bring his keen old eyes
the nearer to the ground.

XXII

HOW THE FATES GAVE LARGESS OF DESPAIR

Ephraim Yeates was gone a full hour. When he returned he gave us cause
to wonder at his lack of caution, since he filled his earthen Indian
pipe and coolly struck a light wherewith to fire it. But when the pipe
was aglow he told us of his findings.

"'Twas about ez I reckoned; them varmints waded in the shallows a spell
to throw us off, and then came out and forded higher up."

"That will be a shrewd guess of yours, I take it, Ephraim?" said I; for
the night was black as Erebus.

"Ne'er a guess at all; I've had 'em fair at eyeholts," this as calmly as
if we had not been for ten long days pinning our faith to an ill-defined
trace of foot-prints. "Ez I was a-going on to say, they're incamped on
t'other bank ruther eenside o' two sights and a horn-blow from this. I
saw 'em an