odied warriors. They were so light that the lad found no trouble
in shoving the first clear of the shore, and sending it skimming out
into the stream. As it slackened its pace, it turned part way round,
like a bewildered swan, as if uncertain which way to go. Then it sailed
triangularly down current, much after the manner of Ogallah's dog when
on a trot.

It was not more than fairly under way, when the second glided out after
it, then the third, the fourth and finally the fifth and last. This
contained Jack Carleton who took the long ashen paddle in hand and began
plying it with considerable skill. He was paying less attention to his
own progress than to the manipulation of the other canoes, which he had
set free for a special purpose.

He kept the five in the middle of the current until a fourth of a mile
was passed. Then he gave one such a violent push that it ran its snout
against the bank and stuck fast. Some distance down stream he repeated
the man[oe]uvre with the second boat against the opposite shore,
continuing the curious proceeding until he was alone in the single
canoe, floating down stream.

CHAPTER XXXI.

JOURNEYING EASTWARD.

Jack Carleton reasoned in this wise:

In the morning Ogallah would notice his absence from the lodge and would
make immediate search for him. He would quickly learn that the entire
navy of his nation had vanished as completely as has our own, and the
conclusion would be warranted that it had either run away with the pale
face or the pale face had run away with the navy: at any rate they had
gone off in company and the hunt would begin.

A quarter of a mile down stream, the first installment of the fleet
would be found stranded on the southern shore, as though it was used to
set the fashion followed by our country a century later. The conclusion
would be formed that the audacious fugitive had landed at that point and
plunged into the interior; but a brief examination would show the Sauks
their mistake and they would rush on along the banks until the second
craft was discovered, when the same disappointment would follow.

This would continue until every one of the five canoes had been found
and examined. Inasmuch as the fifth contained Jack himself, it will be
seen that more care was required in his case; but the programme had been
laid out to its minutest details while the enemy was a guest in the
lodge of the king.

After the fourth canoe had been stuck against the