ad gone only a few rods to the left when they came to what was
evidently a new trail. They had gone only a short distance when Pierre
stopped and remarked that he was sure that no canoe had been brought
over the trail. When Mr. Waterman heard this, he had the men retrace
their steps to the lake. They then began a systematic search for a
canoe. In about twenty minutes, Jack's sharp eyes searched out the
hiding place and the canoe was pulled out for inspection. They found it
to be an ordinary Peterboro, such as were to be found all through the
country.

"If he's left his canoe here," said Mr. Waterman, "he can't be very far
off."

"That's so," said Pierre.

"We had better go careful," said Jack.

All four then looked to their guns and took the trail, with Mr. Waterman
leading. He went along very carefully. In an hour they were over the
divide and going down into what seemed like a deep gulch.

"This looks to me like the same gulch we visited the other day," said
Mr. Waterman.

"I am sure of it," said Bob. "Then, I noticed that big rock over there."

"What's peculiar about that rock?" asked Jack.

"It looks like a big horse," said Bob. "I am sure that it's the same
one."

"It does look like a horse," said Mr. Waterman. "I know the far side of
this gulch pretty well, but I did not think that there was any way out
of it so easy as the one we have come."

They then proceeded very cautiously. Mr. Waterman gave way to Pierre,
who went ahead without any noise. Bob tried to imitate his movements but
he felt angry at himself, for he made a great noise as he went along. He
now knew why Mr. Waterman had hesitated at bringing him. He did the very
best he could and followed along, feeling the excitement tugging at his
heart. Mr. Waterman and the two guides moved like shadows before him and
only by the sudden gleam in their eyes could he see that they were at
all excited. At last Pierre came back a step or two and put his fingers
to his lips in token of silence.

"A log cabin not far ahead," said he to Mr. Waterman very quietly.

Mr. Waterman and Jack went ahead very stealthily, and they came back in
a moment.

"I guess we've treed our coon," said Mr. Waterman. "Now, how shall we
catch him?"

"I go," said Pierre. "I make believe that I'm just an Indian fishing and
I come back 'bimby.'"

"That's a pretty good plan," said Mr. Waterman.

They watched Pierre disappear through the bushes and then settled down
to wait.