dusk I saw a spot at which, from the appearance of the water, I
judged that I could cross the torrent. "I will put that, at all events,
between myself and my enemies, should they be pursuing me," I thought,
and without further hesitation I waded towards the opposite shore. The
water rose higher and higher. I had, I feared, been deceived by the
light, and might have to swim for it. The danger of this was, that I
might lose my rifle, and wet my pistol and ammunition. Very thankful,
therefore, was I when the water again shallowed; and, keeping my feet in
spite of the rush against my legs, I at last got to the bank to which I
was directing my course.

I now continued down the stream until I reached a rock which almost
overhung it, with bushes on either side. This, I saw, would afford me as
secure a resting-place as I could expect to find. I accordingly resolved
to stop; and having examined the locality on the further side, in case I
should have to beat a retreat, I sat down and took some food, of which I
still had a small portion left. The air was tolerably warm, and,
fatigued as I was, I should under ordinary circumstances have slumbered
soundly; but as it was I felt very little inclination to sleep. I was
too anxious about Uncle Jeff, and Bartle, and Gideon. Had Uncle Jeff
escaped the bullets of the enemy; and had the others managed to cut
their way through the horde of savages? The white men in company with
the Redskins, I looked upon as no better than they were. What, too, had
become of the German and the Irishman? Had they, afraid of fighting in
the open, remained in the house, and fallen victims to the flames? Such,
indeed, must have been the fate of the poor wounded fellows left in the
house. My only satisfaction was, that we had done all that men could do,
and that we could not have saved their lives, although we should, to a
certainty, have sacrificed our own had we made the attempt. Still I had
an idea that Barney and Klitz had some plan of their own for escaping,
and that they might turn up some day or other. I half expected to find
that Bartle and Gideon had followed me, and I looked out eagerly, hoping
to see them. How far I had come I could not exactly calculate, but I
knew that, at the rate I had been moving, it must be a considerable
distance.

At length, overcome by fatigue, I fell asleep, trusting that He by whom
I had been mercifully preserved would watch over me. When I at last
awoke, daylight was glan