er
remark, although not politely made, was sufficiently striking to cause
Bumpus to start up, and exclaim--

"That's true, gal; come shew us the way to this here cave."

There was a fourth individual present at this council of war who
apparently felt a deep interest in its results, although he took no part
in its proceedings. This was no other than Keona himself, who lay
extended at full length among the rocks, not two yards from the spot
where Bumpus sat, listening intently and grinning from ear to ear with
fiendish malice.

The series of shrieks, howls, and yells, to which reference has been
made, had naturally attracted the attention of that wily savage when he
was in the cave. Following the sounds with quick noiseless step, he
soon found himself within a few paces of the deliberating trio. The
savage did not make much of the conversation, but he gathered sufficient
to assure himself that his hiding-place had been discovered, and that
plans were being laid for his capture.

It would have been an easy matter for him to have leaped suddenly on the
unsuspecting Bumpus, and driven a knife to his heart, after which, poor
Corrie and the girl could have been easily dealt with; but fortunately,
(at least for his enemies, if not for himself), indecision in the moment
of action was one of Keona's besetting sins. He suspected that other
enemies might be near at hand, and that the noise of the scuffle might
draw them to the spot. He observed, moreover, that the boy had a
pistol, which, besides being a weapon that acts quickly and surely, even
in weak hands, would give a loud report and a bright flash that might be
heard and seen at a great distance.

Taking these things into consideration, he thrust back the knife which
he had half unsheathed, and, retreating with the slow gliding motion of
a serpent, got beyond the chance of being detected, just as Bumpus rose
to follow Poopy to the cave.

The savage entered its yawning mouth in a few seconds and glided
noiselessly into its dark recesses like an evil spirit. Soon after, the
trio reached the same spot and stood for some time silently gazing upon
the thick darkness within.

A feeling of awe crept over them as they stood thus, and a shudder
passed through Corrie's frame as he thought of the innumerable ghosts
that might--probably did--inhabit that dismal place. But the thought of
Alice served partly to drive away his fears and to steel his heart. He
felt that the