circumventing the red-skins.

for some time the brothers paddled about the sedgy shore of the small islet on which the camp had been pitched, now setting up a flock of ducks and then slipping into the heart of some reeds and concealing themselves until a good chance was obtained at a passing flock of geese.

archie sinclair soon laid in enough provision to serve the party for a few meals, for his hand was steady and his eye true.

“little bill,” he said, looking back after one of his successful shots, “you must take a shot now. we will go right-about-face, and convert the bow into the stern in the usual way. see, catch hold of the gun.”

“no, arch-ee, as oké calls you, i won’t; i’m quite content to look on, for your gun kicks like a mexican mule. besides, it’s easy work to steer, and seeing you panting and toiling in the bow makes it seem all the easier. just you keep blazin’ away, old man. but, i say, where shall i steer to now? i’m tired o’ steering among the reeds. let us push out into the clear water.”

“you heard what oké said,” objected archie; “we must keep well clear o’ both shores.”

“i know that,” returned billie, “but he did not forbid us to try the reeds round the other islands; there’s a much bigger one, not a quarter of a mile up stream. i think there are some beautiful sedges there where geese are likely to live. i’m sure i would choose to live in such a place if i was a goose.”

“o! then, we must go, little bill, for i think it would be hard to keep any one out of his native home.”

so saying, he dipped his paddle with vigour, and the light bark shot swiftly over the glancing water.

the sun was beginning to descend towards the western horizon when they drew near to the island, and several flocks of water-fowl had already sprung alarmed from the reeds, when archie caught sight of a black-and-red-painted visage peering at him from among the bushes.

the boy’s heart seemed to bound into his throat and his first impulse was to turn the canoe and fly, but archie’s mind was quicker even than his hand or eye. all he had ever heard or read of the cool stoicism of the red-man seemed to flash across his memory, and, with a violent effort, he crushed back the shout that rose to his lips. he could not indeed suppress the look of sudden surprise that swept across his expressive face, but he cleverly adapted it to circumstances.

“look, look! little bill,” he exclaimed, eagerly, pointing right over the indian’s head at a flock of geese that opportunely appeared at the moment in the far distance. “crouch, bill, lie low, i’ll call them. steer a little more to the left and keep her so.”

thereupon he began a vociferous imitation of the sounds with which indians are wont to call to geese that may chance to be flying past at a distance. the obedient billie steered as directed, and thus the canoe was slowly sheered off a little from the shore. it was cleverly done. whether the savage was deceived or not we cannot tell, but he showed no sign of intention to move or act, though he was within easy range of the boys.

“little bill,” said archie, in a low voice, such as one might use when anxious not to alarm game, “can you do what you’re bid at once and exactly?”

“i can try,” was the quiet answer.

“well, then, try your best, little bill; for our lives may depend on our action now. keep your eyes fixed on that flock o’ geese as long as they’re in sight. don’t look at the shore, whatever i do or say. look at anything you like, but not at the shore. there’s a red-skin there. i’ve seen him, though he thinks i haven’t. now, steer right round and go back the way we have just come, only keep always edging a little off-shore.”

as he said this archie raised himself from his crouching attitude, laid down his gun and resumed his paddle, and in his ordinary free-and-easy tones exclaimed—

“we’ve lost that chance, little bill—more’s the pity.”

“never mind,” answered billie in the same tone, being resolved to act his part well, “there’s lot’s more where these came from. better luck next time. where away now?”

“keep her just as you go, you’re far enough out now. we should start some ducks here.”

thus speaking, and with the air of a leisurely man enjoying himself—with infinite contentment on his ruddy countenance, and with much concern in his agitated soul—archie took the canoe straight past the very spot where the indian lay concealed. he felt that audacity was the safest line of action, for he knew that if the savage meant mischief, to pretend absolute ignorance of his existence would be less likely to draw a shot than sudden flight—which, however swiftly carried out, could by no means equal the flight of a bullet. besides, it was of the utmost importance that he should reach the encampment and report what he had seen without the indian becoming aware that he had been discovered.

in order to effect his purpose, he not only repassed the hiding-place of the savage but actually shot and picked up another duck while still within range of the enemy’s gun. then he directed his brother to steer still more off the island, but very slowly.

“we’re in no hurry, you see, little bill; you haven’t looked at the shore, i hope?”

“never once.”

“ha! ha!” laughed archie in high glee at the success of this his first experiment in backwoods warfare; “you’re a trump, little bill!”

“i’d rather be a trump than a trumpet, archie. if there are more red-skins about, laughing like that will be sure to rouse them.”

“never fear, billie, my boy. you do as i tell ’ee. we must keep up the game a bit longer yet. it won’t do to hurry back till the sun is lower, so we’ll go over to that small island there an’ have a try for another duck. there’s sure to be nobody on such a small island as that. afterwards we’ll drop down in an off-hand, idle-like way to the encampment. it’ll be natural to do this when the evenin’s beginning to set in, an’ so we’ll stump them red-skins at their own game. d’ee understand?”

“yes. you’re a clever chap, archie.”

in pursuance of this deeply laid plan, the brothers crossed over to the small islet referred to, and, after apparently amusing themselves there for a short time, dropped down stream in a leisurely way, reaching the encampment before the evening had fairly set in.

a council of war was immediately held.

“you were right in your guess, okématan,” said davidson. “the reptiles will be down on us to-night no doubt. what course does the cree chief advise?”

“okématan advises that the kettle be boiled, the duck roasted, and a good big supper eaten.”

“it iss fery pleasant advice, no doubt,” said fergus with a broad and rather sarcastic grin, “but it iss not warlike!”

“it seems not a bad preparation for war, anyhow,” said dan; “and what after that?”

“the two boys will sleep and rest while food is preparing,” continued the chief. “the moon will set before we have done eating, and it will be very dark. the saulteaux will not attack while the light lasts. when it is quite dark we will go.”

“if we fix to leave and they chance to attack at the same time, it iss meetin’ them we will be, okématan,” said fergus.

to this remark the indian vouchsafed no reply.

“well, well, muster okématan, it iss your own business; you will know best yourself. i will see to stowin’ away my supper—whatever.”

by the time supper was over, the moon had descended into a bank of black clouds on the horizon, and profound darkness brooded over land and water. it was a night such as an attacking party would hail as being most suitable for its work, and of course was proportionately unsuitable for the attacked. the indian chief displayed no more concern about it than if nothing unusual were pending. after supper, however, he directed that the canoes should be launched and loaded. at the same time he gathered together as much wood as he could, and heaped it on the fire.

“you seem determined to give them plenty of light to do their work,” remarked davidson.

“they will wait till our fire burns low,” said the chief. “by that time they will think we are asleep. a sleeping foe is not dangerous. they will come—slowly; step by step; with wide eyes glancing from side to side, and no noise, sly as foxes; timid as squaws! but by that time we will be far on our way back to red river!”

“ay—if we do not meet them comin’ to attack us,” said fergus.

“and how shall we proceed!” asked dan.

“as we came,” answered the chief. “okématan, with the two boys, will lead. dan-ell an’ fergus will follow. come.”

led by their guide, the party passed out of the firelight into the dense thicket by which the spot was encompassed almost completely, so that the only visible sign of the encampment from outside was the forks of flame and sparks which rose high above the bushes.

on reaching the shore they found the two boys holding the canoes, close to the land. so intense was the darkness that they could not see the boys or canoes at all till close beside them. without uttering a word, or making a sound with their moccasined feet, they stepped into the canoes, pushed gently off and glided, ghost-like, into the vast obscurity.