n the ravine, beyond which
he would be hid from view of the encampment. The moment this was reached
he paused long enough to cast back a searching glance. But all looked as
calm and peaceful as if no human being had ever entered the ravine.

"They haven't found it out yet! They haven't found it out yet!" he
exclaimed, his heart rising with hope. "That was a pretty smart thing in
me to pretend to be lame, and if it hadn't been for that I wouldn't have
got half the start."

Passing the turn in the ravine, he felt that it would not do to wait any
longer without some effort to hide his trail. There was but one feasible
way of accomplishing this, and that was by entering the stream and
keeping along it far enough to throw the wolves off the scent. It was
not a very pleasant task to enter the water and move along, where, at
any moment, he was liable to drop down over his head; but he did not
dare to stand upon trifles, and in he went. By keeping close to the
shore, he managed to avoid any such unpleasant ducking, while at the
same time he effectually hid his footsteps from the eyes of the
keenest-sighted Indian. A short distance ahead he found the trees were
growing fully as thickly as in the grove which he had left but a short
time before, and he made all haste thither, continually glancing back,
dreading least he should catch sight of some of the Apaches on the hunt
for him.

Imagine his consternation, when, on the very margin of the wood, he
looked back and saw the forms of two Indians only a short distance away!
They were mounted upon their mustangs and riding at a walk almost in a
direct line toward him, and, as he stared at them he was sure that their
slow pace was due to their careful scrutiny of the trail which he was
satisfied he must have left.

"They have found me out," he gasped, as he turned and hurried down
stream again.

Ned was too frightened to reflect that their actions were such as to
indicate that they were hunters, who were out merely for game, and there
is no telling how far he would have kept up his flight in the stream,
had he not been checked by what he believed to be a providential
interference in his behalf.

The water was broad, moderately deep, and quite clear; but the
overhanging trees threw out so much shade that the bottom was invisible,
so that, scrutinize as much as they chose, the redskins could not detect
the slightest trace of his footprints upon the bed of the stream. The
only dif