angle of roots, and immediately disappearing in
the underbrush. Sam had already vanished, as I paused an instant to
glance back, but she lingered at the edge of the wood to wave her hand.
I found a rough passage for the first few rods, being obliged to almost
tear a way through the close growth and unable to see a yard in
advance. But this ended suddenly at the edge of the sand flat, with
the converging waters of the two rivers visible just beyond. My view
from here was narrowed, however, by high ridges on both sides, and,
with a desire not to expose myself to any chance eye, I followed the
line of forest until able to climb the slope, and thus attain the crest
of the bluff.

From this vantage point the view was extensive, both up and down the
big river, as well as across to the opposite bank. For miles nothing
could escape my eyes, the mighty stream sweeping majestically past
where I lay, liquid silver in the sunshine. Its tremendous volume had
never so impressed me as in that moment of silent observation, nor had
I ever realized before its sublime desolation. Along that entire
surface but three objects met my gaze--a small island, green with
trees, seemingly anchored just beyond the mouth of the Illinois; a
lumbering barge almost opposite me, clearly outlined against the
distant shore, and barely moving with the current; and far away below a
thin smudge of smoke, arising from behind a headland, as though curling
upward from the stack of some steamer. I watched this closely, until
convinced the craft was bound down stream and moving swiftly. The
smudge became a mere whisp and finally vanished entirely. I waited
some time for the vessel to appear at the lower end of the bend, but it
was then only a speck, scarcely distinguishable. I felt no doubt but
what this was the stolen keel-boat, speeding toward St. Louis.

Armed, as I believed, with this knowledge that Kirby had actually fled,
beyond any possibility of doing us any further injury, I did not hurry
my return, but remained for some time on the bluff, watching those
rushing waters, and endeavoring to outline some feasible plan for the
coming night. With this final disappearance of the gambler we were
left free to proceed, and it seemed to me with no great danger of
arousing suspicion, so long as we exercised reasonable precautions.
The girl to all appearances was white; no one would ever question that,
particularly as she possessed sufficient intelligence