great wisdom for us to swim," said Tayoga. "Another sentinel
seeing the canoe may also think it was washed away somewhere and is
merely floating on the waters. I can see a heap of underbrush that has
gathered against a projecting point, and the current would naturally
bring the canoe into it. Suppose we let it rest there until it seems to
work free by the action of the water, and then go on down the river."

"It's a good idea, Tayoga, but it's a pretty severe test to remain under
fire, so to speak, in order to deceive your enemy, when the road is open
for you to run away."

"But we can do it, all three of us," said Tayoga, confidently.

A spit of high ground projected into the river and in the course of time
enough driftwood brought by the stream and lodged there had made a raft
of considerable width and depth, against which the canoe in its
wandering course lodged. But it was evident that its stay in such a port
would be but temporary, as the current continually pushed and sucked at
it, and the light craft quivered and swayed continually under the action
of the current.

The three behind the canoe thrust themselves back into the mass of
vegetation, reckless of scratches, and were hidden completely for the
time. Since he was no longer kept warm by the act of swimming Robert
felt the chill of the water entering his bones. His physical desire to
shiver he controlled by a powerful effort of the will, and, standing on
the bottom with his head among the boughs, he remained quiet.

None of the three spoke and in a few minutes a warrior on the other side
of the stream, watching in the bushes, saw the dim outline of the canoe
in the darkness. He came to the edge of the water and looked at it
attentively. It was apparent to him, as it had been to the other savage,
that it was a stray canoe, and valuable, a fine prize for the taking.
But he was less impulsive than the first man had been and at that point
the river spread out to a much greater width. He did not know that his
comrade was lying on the bank farther up in a half stunned condition,
but he was naturally cautious and he stared at the canoe a long time.
He saw that the action of the current would eventually work it loose
from the raft, but he believed it would yet hang there for at least ten
minutes. So he would have time to go back to his nearest comrade and
return with him. Then one could enter the water and salvage the canoe,
while the other stayed on the bank and