eath it, while his enemies were searching for him. A few words more
from the Huron, and every thing was explained. Believing the reader
will be interested in the description of the ingenious artifice adopted
by the hunter, we here give it as briefly as possible.

It may seem incredible that Lewis Dernor should have been concealed
beneath this Indian canoe, when fully a dozen savages were thirsting
for his scalp, and when it would have appeared the height of absurdity
to think that they would fail to look beneath it. Nevertheless, such
was really the case. It happened in the following manner:

When the Rifleman discovered the canoe lying against the bank, he
sprung from the water, coming upon the frail barken structure with such
force that he perceptibly started the bottom. It thus appeared to have
been deserted for its uselessness. Stepping off of this upon the swampy
ground, he walked about twenty yards up the bank, when he turned to the
left, and approached the water again. The trail which he left was so
distinct that no one could fail to see, he having purposely made it
thus. Instead of taking to the water again, as it would appear he had
done, he merely entered its margin, and then walked backward to the
canoe again, stepping so exactly in his own footsteps, that the wily
Shawnees and Miamis had no suspicion of the stratagem practiced.
Reaching the canoe, he managed to lift it, without changing its
position, when he lowered it again, without making any additional
footprints. This done, he slipped beneath it, drew up his feet, and
confidently awaited the approach of the savages.

In about twenty minutes they came up. The foremost paused, upon seeing
the canoe with its cracked bottom, and were about to overturn it, when
their eyes rested upon the footprints of the fugitive. There was no
need of looking beneath it, for they could see the direction he had
taken. He was going at such speed that they had no time to pause, and
they immediately dashed off in pursuit, the others following suit, like
so many hounds. So soon as he was satisfied they were out of sight, the
Rifleman came from beneath the canoe, carefully setting it back in its
place again, and struck off in the woods at a more leisurely gait.

"All safe--nebber git on track agin," said Oonamoo.

"Don't believe they will. By gracious! but I should hate to try that
trick of Lew's. Just s'pose they had looked under! it would have been
all up with him. I daresn'