ndians in it. We shouted, but our voices sounded shrill and
weak. The Indians heard us, for they waved their paddles and turned the
head of the canoe towards the clump of trees. The canoe could not get
under the tree, but one of the Indians jumped out, and Malcolm told me
to slide down. The Indian caught me and carried me in his arms to the
canoe, for I was too weak to walk. Malcolm followed, and the Indian
helped him along also. It was not till we had been placed in the canoe
that we recognised in our preserver the young Indian, Sigenok, whose
life we had saved. We pronounced his name. He gave a well-satisfied
smile.

"Ah, you have not forgotten me, nor I you," he said in his own language.
"Favours conferred bind generous hearts together. Sigenok guessed that
you were in distress. Your elder brother has long been looking for
you."

It appeared that Sigenok had been at a distance hunting when the flood
commenced; that he had hastened back, and soon perceiving from the
height the water had attained that our house was in danger, had embarked
in his canoe and hastened toward it, but on his nearing the spot found
that it had been swept away. Guessing that we had escaped to the
eastern hills, he paddled there, when our friends told him that we had
proceeded in search of our father and servant. Having ascertained the
exact time of our departure, with the wonderful powers of calculation
possessed by Red men, he had decided the events which had occurred and
the course we had pursued, and was thus able to look for us in the right
direction. Had he not found us there, he would have visited other
places which he mentioned, where we might have taken refuge. As he was
leaving the hills the farmer's wife had given him a supply of food for
us, and on his producing it our hunger was soon satisfied. We now told
him of our anxiety about our father and Sam Dawes. He listened
attentively, and then shook his head.

"They and the cattle never reached the hills," he observed. "We will
search for them. There are still some hours of daylight. If the house
has held together, they will be found much further down than this."

I fancied by the Indian's manner that his hopes were slight. We now
shoved off from the little island which had afforded us so valuable a
refuge, and Sigenok and his companion paddled off at a rapid rate to the
north. Anxious as I was, I soon fell asleep, and so I believe did
Malcolm for a short time.