track him in his course, I should discover some proof of his guilt, which would suffice to rid us for ever of the presence of so dangerous a subject. The adventure was moreover one that pleased me, although perhaps I was not strictly justified in quitting my gun-boat, especially as in the urgency of the moment, I had not even thought of leaving orders with my boatswain, in the event of anything unexpected occurring during my absence. The sentinels alone were aware of my departure. "The course we pursued was in the direction of Hartley's point, and so correct had been the steering and paddling of the keen-sighted negro, that when we made the beach, we found ourselves immediately opposite to Desborough's hut. "'How is this, Sambo?' I asked in a low tone, as our canoe grated on the sand within a few paces of several others that lay where I expected to find but one--'are all these Desborough's?' "'No, Massa Geral--'less him teal him toders, Desborough only got one--dis a public landin' place.' "'Can you tell which is his?' I inquired. "'To be sure--dis a one,' and he pointed to one nearly twice the dimensions of its fellows. "'Has it been lately used, Sambo--can you tell?' "'I soon find out, Massa Geral.' "His device was the most simple and natural in the world, and yet I confess it was one which I never should have dreamt of. Stooping on the sands, he passed his hand under the bottom of the canoe, and then whispered: "'Him not touch a water to-night, Massa Geral--him dry as a chip.' "Here I was at fault. I began to apprehend that I had been baffled in my pursuit, and deceived in my supposition. I knew that Desborough had had for years, one large canoe only in his possession, and it was evident that this had not been used for the night. I was about to order Sambo to shove off again, when it suddenly occurred to me, that, instead of returning from a visit, the suspected settler might have received a visiter, and I accordingly desired my _fides Achates_ to submit the remainder of the canoes to the same inspection. "After having passed his hand ineffectually over several, he at length announced, as he stooped over one which I recognised, from a peculiar elevation of the bow and stern, to be same we had passed. "'Dis a one all drippin' wet, Massa Geral. May I nebber see a Hebben ib he not a same we follow.'