ky the
darker mass of tree-tops.

"Better light up," I suggested. We were now close in.

"Hush!" he hissed. Then, as I came up to him, he went on,
whispering: "'T ain't bes' t' mek no noise here. Don' know none
tew much 'bout this here business. Don' cal'late we 're goin' t'
hev any trouble, but if we dew--Hark!"

We had both heard a stir in the bushes, and stuck our paddles in
the sand, listening. After a little silence I heard D'ri get up
and step stealthily into the water and buckle on his sword. Then I
could hear him sinking the canoe and shoving her anchor deep into
the sand. He did it with no noise that, fifty feet away, could
have been distinguished from that of the ever-murmuring waters. In
a moment he came and held my canoe, while I also took up my trusty
blade, stepping out of the canoe into the shallow water. Then he
shoved her off a little, and sank her beside the other. I knew not
his purpose, and made no question of it, following him as he strode
the shore with measured paces, the lantern upon his arm. Then
presently he stuck his paddle into the bushes, and mine beside it.
We were near the head of the island, walking on a reedy strip of
soft earth at the river margin. After a few paces we halted to
listen, but heard only the voice of the water and the murmur of
pines. Then we pushed through a thicket of small fir trees to
where we groped along in utter darkness among the big tree trunks
on a muffle-footing. After a moment or so we got a spray of light.
We halted, peering at the glow that now sprinkled out through many
a pinhole aperture in a fairy lattice of pine needles.

My heart was beating loudly, for there was the promised lantern.
Was I not soon to see the brighter light of those dear faces? It
was all the kind of thing I enjoyed then,--the atmosphere of peril
and romance,--wild youth that I was. It is a pity, God knows, I
had so little consideration for old D'ri; but he loved me,
and--well, he himself had some pleasure in excitement.

We halted for only a moment, pushing boldly through a thicket of
young pines into the light. A lantern hung on the bough of a tall
tree, and beneath it was a wide opening well carpeted with moss and
needles. We peered off into the gloom, but saw nothing.

D'ri blew out a thoughtful breath, looking up into the air coolly,
as he filled his pipe.

"Consarned if ever I wanted t' have a smoke s' bad 'n all my born
days," he remarked.

Then he