he sapling's top for a minute, then disappeared, and he gave a shout
of relief. "Walter's there all right," he called to his companions, "I
saw his signal."

The morning wore slowly away without a sign of their enemies.

"What have you figured out is the reason they ain't troubling us,
Charley?" the captain called when the noon hour was at last reached.

"I have been studying over it for a long time, sir," the lad answered,
"and have come to the conclusion that they have decided to postpone
finishing us up until they have disposed of the Indians. I guess they
are afraid that the noise of firearms would put the Seminoles on their
guard if they happen to be within hearing. Anyway, I guess, we can
spare Chris long enough to get us a lunch."

Chris lost no time in getting together a hasty dinner, which was as
quickly disposed of by the sentinels.

From now on Charley kept his eyes anxiously on the distant point and
sapling, hoping, longing, and expecting to catch a glimpse of the
fluttering square of red which would wave the welcome news that Walter
had sighted the Indian fleet.

One o'clock passed, two o'clock, three, and still no signal.

"Take it calm, lad, they'll be along soon," the captain said
soothingly, to Charley, who was nervously pacing back and forth, his
face drawn and anxious.

"For de Lawd sake, look over there by dem convicts' point. Oh, golly,
oh golly!" cried Chris, suddenly.

Charley gave one glance and buried his face in his hands to shut out
the coming horror. "Fool, fool that I was," he moaned. "Not to know
that it would be the home-bound Indians loaded with plumes they would
be laying for, not the empty handed ones coming out of the glades."

The captain was by his side in a second. "Don't take it hard, lad," he
said, gently. "You done your best. We all stumbled into the same
mistake. Look away for a minute, lad. It will soon be over, I dare
say."

But Charley, though torn with regrets, took his hands from his face and
gazed steadily at the tragedy nearing its climax.

Winding past the convicts' point in single file, came a long line of
some thirty canoes, uncouth, shapeless things, each hewed out of a
great cypress log. In the end of each an Indian stood erect plying a
long pole which sent their clumsy looking crafts forward at surprising
speed. Magnificent savages they were, not one less than six feet tall,
framed like athletes, and lithe and supple as panthers.

One ma