"Then we'll leave you at the tail end in about five minutes," said Dick, as he dug his paddle blade deep into the water and sent the frail canoe ahead by leaps and bounds. The Indians in Dick's canoe caught the idea at once, and although Fritz and his companions started right after them, they were not able to catch up. Dick soon was parallel with the chief's canoe and here his companions stopped paddling and looked at Telca for instructions. "Ve haf caught you so soon," panted Fritz, drawing up abreast at that moment. "You never would have if we hadn't stopped so as not to lose you," answered Dick. "Sometimes you are right, not, and this is it," said Fritz. "Which way now, chief?" asked Dick of the Indian. "You can follow Telca," said he, and speaking to his bow companion, the chief suddenly drove his own craft out ahead of the others and with a quick succession of powerful strokes was soon several lengths in the lead. Dick Dare and his party were soon after the flying leaders, but the chief and his paddling mate were well matched, and strain as they might, the others could do no more than hold their own, and never gained a foot. If they had started to overtake Telca, he could undoubtedly have drawn away from them with a little added effort, for the two in the foremost canoe seemed not to be exerting themselves to their fullest. Half an hour's paddling of this kind brought the leaders almost over to the other shore, and some distance further to the West. The chief now ceased paddling entirely and held his shining blade in the air as a sign for the others to slow up with him. Their nearness to the shore made silence necessary, and when the sternmost craft had come up, they all moved forward very cautiously. "That was warm work," said Dick quietly. "The chief can certainly give us lessons in paddling." "Another half minute and I surely haf been a deader," replied Fritz. "Such vork I nefer did yet, in veeks before." Keeping close to the shore, the little flotilla went onward until they reached a small brook opening into the bay. Here they could see the narrow road running close to the water's edge. "We land here," ordered Telca, turning his canoe toward the bank. "What are you going to do with the canoes?" asked Dick. "It seems a shame to destroy them." "We will all get out except four of the young men," said Telca. "They will tow the birch boats to the land out there, and we will send word to our brothers, the Delawares, where the Redman has hidden them. They may have them, for they were our friends when we came across the mountains twelve moons ago." "I'm glad they are not going to be wasted. They are such beauties," Dick said. "And that idea of having us all go ashore here and hiding them around the peninsular is a fine one."