his gun, and the click it gave as he closed the breech.

"Hadn't we better get into shelter?" I whispered. "We offer such a
good mark for an arrow."

"No, my boy," said my uncle; "the fire is between us and the enemy, and
we are quite safe."

For the twigs were blazing merrily now, and sending out a bright light,
which spread around and made the nearest trees stand out and the little
tent look bright and clear.

But the next moment something else caught my eye, and the startled
sensation seemed to cause a catching of my breath as I stood pointing
down at the smooth patch of sand beside the trickling water of the
stream--a patch over which a wave must have lately passed, it was so
smooth, while close up towards the fire, and where the full blaze of
light played, were the objects which had struck my eye.

"What is it, Nat?" said my uncle sharply, and then as he caught sight of
the marks too, he answered his own question aloud:

"Footprints--men's--yes, more than one. Hah! Look-out, Nat; I can hear
them coming back."

Uncle Dick's ears seemed to be sharper than mine, for though I listened
intently and stood prepared to fire, some minutes elapsed before I heard
a sound, and then it was not from up the stream, but from overhead--a
sharp whistling cry--which was repeated again and again, and I caught
the flash of wings as a large bird circled round, evidently attracted by
the fire, which was kept blazing.

"Throw on some more, Nat," said my uncle; "it will serve to keep them at
a distance. Perhaps we've scared the savages off for good."

"I hope so," I said; "but we mustn't go to sleep again."

"You're a queer chap, Nat, if you could go to sleep after this; I
couldn't."

"But they may not be savages, uncle," I said.

"Perhaps not, but the place seemed so wild that I don't think they could
be anything else. We must take turn and turn to watch till daylight.
You go and lie down."

"No, uncle," I said; "I'd rather stay and watch. What time is it?"

"About midnight, I should think," he said, pulling out the big old
silver hunting-watch that accompanied him on all his travels, and
holding it down in the full light from the fire. "Humph!" he
ejaculated. "What time do you say?"

"Not much more than ten," I said decisively. "I had only just dropped
asleep."

"It took you a long time to drop, then," he said drily. "Ah! Look at
that bird. It will singe its wings directly."

"What time is it, then?" I