t if we come to close
quarters with any of those fellows, we must trust to our knives and
hatchets."

Then he turned reluctantly away. It was not a deep river, nowhere above
their necks, and he pushed a way amid the trees and foliage that were
packed upon the surface, Paul, as usual, following closely. Now and then
he dived under a big log, and came up on the other side, his head well
hidden among upthrust boughs and among the weeds and grass that had grown
in the soil formed by the silt of the river. And Paul always carefully
imitated him.

When they were about thirty yards into the mass Paul felt Henry's hand on
his shoulder. "Look back, Paul," was whispered in his ear, "but be sure
not to move a single bough." Paul slowly and cautiously turned his head,
and saw a sight that made him quiver.

Running swiftly, savage warriors were coming into view on either bank of
the river--tall men, dark with paint, and, as he well knew, hot with the
desire to take life.

"I thank God that this place is here!" breathed Paul.

"Yes, it was just made for us," said Henry, and he laughed ever so little.
"Come, Paul, we must get farther into it. But be sure you don't shake any
boughs."

They waded on, only their heads above the current, and these always hidden
by the interlacing trunks and branches. A great shout, fierce with
triumph, rose behind them.

"They've found where our trail entered the water, and they think they've
got us," whispered Henry. "Now, be still, Paul; we'll hide here."

They pushed themselves into a mass of debris, where logs and boughs, swept
by the current, formed a little arch over the stream. There they stood up
to their chins in water, with their heads covered by the arch. Through
the slits between the trunks and boughs they could see their pursuers.

It was a numerous band--thirty or forty men--and they divided now into
several parties. Some ran along the banks of the stream and others sprang
from log to log over the raft, searching everywhere, with keen, black eyes
trained to note every movement of the wilderness.

Paul felt Henry's hand again on his shoulder, but neither boy spoke. Both
felt as if they were in a little cage, with the fiercest of all wild
animals around it and reaching long paws through the bars at them. Each
sank a little deeper into the water, barely leaving room to breathe, and
watched their enemies still searching, searching everywhere. They heard
the patter of moccasins on the