seek the air at brief intervals, and, knowing
where the Shawanoe had entered, Jack fixed on the point in the river
where he would be likely to rise. He knew that, of course, when he did
so it would be only his nose which would appear. Anyone on the shore
would not suspect the meaning of such appearance unless previous
knowledge had awakened expectation, but the closest scrutiny of Jack
failed to see the slightest ripple, such, as would have been made by the
dropping of a pebble into the river. The lad was right, beyond all
question, when he concluded that, wherever Deerfoot came up for air, it
was a long ways from the spot on which he had fixed his attention.

Glancing at Hay-uta bending forward at his side, he observed that his
scrutiny of the stream was as close as his own. He had, in fact, made
the same guess as the pale-face youth, but with a more profound belief
in the prodigious capacity of the Shawanoe, he fixed upon a point
further down stream and closer to the other bank for his reappearance;
but the seconds lengthened into minutes and nothing was seen. The wing
of the flitting insect, had it glanced against the surface, would have
caused a crinkle or two which the watchful eyes of the Sauk would have
detected, but as it was, his vision, roaming back and forth, and here
and there over the calm surface, saw no sign that any thing of the kind
had taken place.

At the moment of greatest wonderment, both watchers were startled by the
leap of a small fish, which sprang a foot or two into the air, flashing
like silver in the sunlight, and then fell back. The first belief of the
spectators was that this was their friend, but the truth was immediately
apparent.

Jack Carleton was on the point of giving up, when the Sauk touched his
arm and uttered an exclamation. He was pointing to the other shore, his
extended finger indicating a tree which grew out almost horizontally
over the river, for a distance of eight or ten feet and then curved
upward like the runner of a sleigh.

As he looked he saw Deerfoot in the act of drawing himself out of the
water. With one hand he raised himself upon the twisted trunk, along
which he crept into the wood beyond, never making the least salutation
to his friends, who he might have known were watching for him.

"By gracious!" exclaimed Jack. "He swam the whole distance under water!
he can beat a fish!"

It is not to be supposed that Deerfoot accomplished this feat, for it
was beyo