In a short time we reached the elevation already mentioned. Here we seated ourselves so as to remain concealed from any stragglers in the vicinity, while we ourselves with a little care could detect the slightest object passing. As I stooped, my hand came in contact with something cold, and upon looking at it, I saw it covered with dark clotted blood. I started, and wiped it on the grass, but it sent a shudder through me to reflect that it had once been the life-fluid of a human being. “Ugh!” exclaimed Nat; “ain’t that awful?” “It is disagreeable, to say the least.” “Just look at the blood on the grass, too, and all around. I believe Bill must have hit a half-dozen Injins sure, the way things appear here.” “He must have wounded one terribly to make him bleed like this.” “And if he had been a flesh and blood Injin he would have never tramped in that manner. I tell you, William Relmond, there _is_ something more more than human about us. I can feel it in my bones, and I’m of Biddon’s opinion that the sooner we get away from here the better.” “Fudge! I see you are beginning to get alarmed.” “Oh no; you are mistaken. I am not frightened at all. For Biddon’s sake, but more especially for yours, I am anxious. If you are desirous of remaining hereabouts, and will take all the consequences, I will make no objections.” “Of course, if I run into danger of my own accord, I expect that I alone will suffer the penalty.” “Then we needn’t say anything more about it; you know we pledged ourselves to remain true to each other, and I won’t desert you.” “That’s well spoken, Nat. The minute I am satisfied that our lives are imperiled, I shall not be the means of prolonging that peril a moment. It is only this great desire to solve and understand the singular occurrences that are transpiring around us, that leads me to still remain. I have determined that to-day we shall all be satisfied.” “My curiosity is extraordinarily high; but I guess that gal has as much to do with it as anything else. I’m determined to get a glimpse of her face, and, if possible, whisper in her ear that Nat Todd, from Maine, is about. I flatter myself that the minute she knows that, she will jump overboard and make for shore without saying a word to the chaps with her.” “The greatest difficulty, I fear, will be to convey your words to the captive, without conveying it also to her captors.” “I swow, it would be harder than I thought at first.” During this conversation, which was carried on in a half-whisper, Nat was constantly parting the bushes and peering through them, while now and then I glanced expectantly up the stream; but nothing as yet had rewarded our watchfulness. Suddenly I reflected that as I had been twice defeated in observing the disappearance of the canoe, from the exact spot upon which we were now seated, that we might make a better arrangement of ourselves, so as to insure this coveted knowledge to one of us at least. I mentioned this to Nat.