w taking its downward slope, fell into the
deep water. The tremendous leap was accomplished. He was dazed for a few
moments and he was conscious of nothing except that his body was cutting
through the current of the river. Then strength and memory came back,
and he knew that the marksmen were watching. Turning slightly on his
side he swam down stream but bearing toward the farther shore as fast as
he could. The crack of that rifle shot, by some sort of mental
reproduction roared in his ears, and the waters sang there also, but he
was swimming for his life, and he still swam, while head and chest
seemed ready to burst. Suddenly he saw a dark shape above him and at
first he thought it was some huge fish. Then he saw that it was the body
of a man hanging from another dark shape that seemed to rest upon the
surface of the river.

Light came to him in an instant. It was the warrior in the canoe who had
given him the signal. It could be none other than the incomparable
Shif'less Sol. He shot upward, panting for air, and rose directly by the
man and the canoe.

"Keep your head low, Henry," exclaimed the undoubted voice of the
shiftless one. "So long as they can't see us behind the canoe they can't
take certain aim, and we've more than a chance."

Henry held lightly to the side of the canoe and panted.

"That wuz shorely a mighty jump o' yourn," continued Shif'less Sol. "I
don't think anybody else could hev done it, an' you come true ez a
bullet when I give the signal. We've won, Henry! We've won ag'in' all
the odds. Look out! Duck! that second fellow's goin' to shoot!"

The second sentinel had fired with good aim, so far as the canoe was
concerned, as his bullet went through the upper part of it, but he could
catch only glimpses of the figures behind it, and they were untouched.
Colonel de Peyster also fired his pistol, but the bullet fell short. Two
or three others on the battlements had rifles and they also took shots,
without avail. The canoe was going very fast now, and always it bore
steadily toward the further shore.

Henry felt the great tension relax. Glancing over the canoe he saw
figures running up and down the palisade, but he knew that they were out
of range. Blessed freedom! Once more before him lay the wilderness that
he loved, and in which he was free to roam as he pleased. He had told
de Peyster that he would escape and he had kept his word. He looked now
at Shif'less Sol, his faithful comrade, and, despi