the edge of the wood. But he was no doubt mistaken, for as they
scrutinized the spot they detected nothing of him who had fired the gun.

"I suppose it was Tim firing at some game. You know he is not a very
good shot, and so he has badly wounded without killing it."

"Then we ought to hear his gun again."

"We shall no doubt----"

"Hark!"

Crack went a gun, almost instantly followed by three similar reports.
The boys turned pale and looked at each other.

"What does that mean?" whispered Elwood.

"That is bad; Tim is in trouble."

"He ought to have had better sense than to paddle out there in open day,
plunge right into the woods and go to shooting without stopping to see
what the danger is. But what will become of him?"

"And of us?"

"This Indian here must have had some way of getting upon the island. I
believe he has a canoe hid somewhere."

"But what of it? We cannot think of leaving until we know something
definite about Tim."

"Unless some of the Indians start to come over to the island, and then
we'll leave."

"Do you think that would be the wisest plan, Elwood? They can handle the
paddle so much better than we that it would take but little time for
them to overhaul us. Then, too, if they should find us by this suffering
brother of theirs would it not make friends of them?"

"Suppose this Indian here is one of their enemies?"

This was a supposition that had never occurred to Howard before, but
which he saw was very reasonable. All Indians not belonging to the same
tribe might be supposed to be enemies of each other, and thus the mercy
and kindness of our young heroes might be made the means of their
destruction.

"I didn't think of that," said Howard, "it may be so. But let us hope
for the best. Tim may soon return to us again."

"Not if he has a grain of sense left."

"And why not?"

"He has been seen by Indians, and if they haven't got him now they will
soon have him if he undertakes to paddle his canoe over to the island."

"You are right, Elwood; he will no doubt wait until it is dark, and then
come out to us as stealthily as he can."

"That is if he gets the chance. I tell you, Howard," said his cousin,
starting up, "this begins to look bad."

"I know it does."

"We know how those red men handle their guns, and it don't look likely
to me that all those shots have missed Tim."

"They may be quite a distance apart--far enough to make their aim
uncertain."

"But then they coul