d nothing,
although his face plainly indicated his disappointment. He had not
been mistaken, however, in the supposition that he detected the
movements of some person in the shrubbery. Directly after the shot had
been fired, the bushes were agitated, and a gaunt, grim-visaged man,
in a half-hunter and half-civilized dress, moved a few feet to the
right, in a manner which showed that he was indifferent as to whether
or not he was observed. He looked forth as if to ascertain the result
of his fire. The man was very tall, with a face by no means
unhandsome, although it was disfigured by a settled scowl, which
better befitted a savage enemy than a white friend. He held his long
rifle in his right hand, while he drew the shrubbery apart with his
left, and looked forth at the canoe.

[Illustration: He held his long rifle in his right hand, while he drew
the shrubbery apart with his left, and looked forth at the canoe.]

"I knew the distance was too great," he muttered, "but you will hear
of me again, Harvey Richter. I've had a dozen chances to pick you off
since you and your friends started up-stream, but I don't wish to do
_that_. No, no, not that. Fire away; but you can do me no more harm
than I can you, at this moment."

Allowing the bushes to resume their wonted position, the stranger
deliberately reloaded his piece and as deliberately walked away in the
wood.

In the meantime, the voyagers resumed their journey and were making
quite rapid progress up-stream. The sun was already low in the sky,
and it was not long before darkness began to envelop wood and stream.
At a sign from the young man, the Irishman headed the canoe toward
shore. In a few moments they landed, where, if possible, the wood was
more dense than usual. Although quite late in the spring, the night
was chilly, and they lost no time in kindling a good fire.

The travelers appeared to act upon the presumption that there were no
such things as enemies in this solitude. Every night they had run
their boat in to shore, started a fire, and slept soundly by it until
morning, and thus far, strange as it may seem, they had suffered no
molestation and had seen no signs of ill-will, if we except the
occurrences already related. Through the day, the stalwart arms of
Teddy, with occasional assistance from the more delicate yet firm
muscles of Harvey, had plied the paddle. No attempt at concealment
was made. On several occasions they had landed at the invitation o