rned aside the dangerous missile still
protected him, and when he so suddenly dropped to the bottom of his
canoe, it was with a bullet-hole through his coat but not through his
body.

"Another illigant compliment to mesilf that it would afford me great
pleasure to return, and if you'll only be kind enough to wait a few
moments, I'll do the same."

But ere he could bring his gun to bear, the wild shot from the island
drove the savages to cover, and raised the Irishman's finger that was
pressing the trigger.

We have already told how, when he undertook to use the paddle, he found
it too dangerous, and coming again behind the deer, he floated down the
current. This, after the severe labor he had undergone, was an agreeable
change, but he was not long in discovering it was dangerous. He was
drifting away from his friends, and the further he went the greater did
the danger become to both parties. He speedily discovered that the
Indians were following him, and the interposing body of the black-tailed
deer was a most effectual protection. More than his own bullets were
buried in it ere he had gone a half-mile down stream.

"If I entertained a small doubt that yez was killed, I couldn't howld it
with them bullets rattlin' in your hide, me owld friend."

The efforts of a child, if steadily persevered in, would move the Great
Eastern in calm water, and Tim was not long in making the discovery
that, if he could not use the paddle, he still was able to exert a
motive power upon the canoe by a very slight means.

Reaching his hand over the side, he began paddling the water, and soon
had the gratifying consciousness that he was moving across the river.
True, it was slow, but it was nevertheless certain and positive, and was
carrying him further away from his troublesome pursuers, and must
eventually bring him against the western shore.

But when the island disappeared from view, and he had barely crossed the
center of the stream, he begun to think that this species of locomotion
was rather tardy, and he partially came to the sitting position and
ventured to take his paddle in hand. A discharge from the shore warned
him of the danger he ran, and he was reluctantly forced to drop his head
again and resort to his tedious method of moving.

By this time the afternoon was well advanced, and it looked as though it
would be fully dark before Tim could regain the ground he had lost. Now
and then he peered over the top of the deer to