e must regain his freedom. Yes, he must, and he would. Why not
strike for it at that very moment? Would he ever have a better chance?

As the last boat came abreast of the schooner _Beaver_, surging at her
cables not more than a quarter of a mile away, Donald called out in
English to the rowers in his boat that each should seize one of the
Indian guards and throw him overboard, while he would stand ready to
aid any one, or all of them, in the undertaking.

The soldier nearest him replied that he feared he had not the requisite
strength.

"Very well," said Donald; "pretend exhaustion and change places with
me."

As this order was obeyed and the young ensign stepped forward, as
though to take his comrade's place, he suddenly seized hold of an
unsuspecting Indian, lifted him bodily, and flung him into the river.
At the same moment the savage clutched his assailant's clothing, and as
he cleared the boat dragged Donald after him over its side. The two
remaining Indians, seized with a panic, leaped overboard and struck out
for shore, while the three soldiers, bending to their oars, directed
their craft with desperate energy toward the schooner, followed by a
storm of bullets and a dozen canoes.

In the meantime, Donald and his antagonist, swept away by the current,
were engaged in a frightful struggle for life and death, now rising
gasping to the surface, then sinking to unknown depths, but always
grappling, and clutching at each other's throat.

At length, when it seemed to the white lad that he had spent an
eternity in the cruel green depths, when his ears were bursting and his
eyes starting from their sockets, he found himself once more at the
surface, breathing in great gulps of the blessed air, and alone. For a
moment he could not believe it, but gazed wildly about him, expecting
each instant to feel the awful clutch that should again drag him under.
He was nearly exhausted, and so weak that had not a floating oar come
within his reach he must quickly have sunk, to rise no more.

Clinging feebly to that Heaven-sent bit of wood, he kept his face above
the water while his spent strength was gradually restored.

At the boom of a cannon, he lifted his head a little higher, and looked
back. A cloud of blue smoke was drifting away from the now distant
schooner, a boat was alongside, and a fleet of canoes was scurrying out
of range. His recent companions had then escaped, and pursuit of them
had so attracted the