"Me go back," said their Indian companion, suddenly. "Tell Telca enemy here. White boy get canoe. Good-bye." He held out a dark hand to Fritz and Dick, and squeezed each of their hands. "Tell Telca good-bye," said Dick. "White boys never forget Indian's friendship." The Indian nodded, and turning, crawled off through the grass toward the shelter of the woods beyond the trail. The firing had grown more brisk from the rear, and although they were so far away, the boys could hear the loud roll of the British firing line, and the occasional barks of the Redskins' rifles. Suddenly out of the mist near them, the new Indian party emerged, running warily toward the sound of the fight. Dick and Fritz ducked down into the grass just in time to save discovery. The ten Redskins filed past toward the trail, and when they were almost out of sight the two patriots began to move cautiously toward the deserted camp. The fire was smoking and smouldering, and on the shore were five canoes, all of bark, drawn up clear of the water and inverted to keep them dry inside. "Fine," ejaculated Dick. "There doesn't seem to be any difference in these canoes, Fritz. Grab hold of that end and we'll slide her into the stream." "You such a robber are I vill pe afraid to stay py you again," said Fritz. "All's fair in war, you know," replied Dick. "Couldn't ve py any possibility take all five mit us?" asked Fritz. "Now, who's the robber?" laughed Dick. "But come on, you old turn about. We can't lose a minute now. Stick the end of your gun through the bottom of that boat." "But dot vill spoilt it," remonstrated Fritz. "That's just what I want it to do," said Dick, jabbing his gun through the frail craft nearest him. Fritz poked the muzzle of his rifle through the bottom of another one, but in withdrawing it accidentally pulled the trigger. "Och, oh!" he yelled. "Fritz!" said Dick, sharply. "Have you hurt yourself?" "Nein, I don'd guess so," replied the German boy. "Good, for that at least," said Dick, thankfully. "Come on now, those fellows will be back here in a shake after all that racket." The two boys hurriedly grasped the ends of the canoe, shoved it into the river and stepped into their new craft. "Paddle for your life!" called Dick, from the stern. "Yah," said Fritz, "I am alreatty." They had only gotten about a hundred yards out into the stream when the boys heard an exclamation from the shore. Turning, Dick saw the Indians file out of the woods, and reach the canoes. Two of them started to launch one of the boats, while the others aimed their guns at Dick and Fritz. "Duck, duck down," called Dick, and as they did so, the rifles of the angry redskins barked out. One bullet splashed in the water near the canoe, and the rest whistled uncomfortably over their heads. The two Indians had gotten one of the damaged canoes into the water, but as they stepped into it, it began to fill through the rent in the bottom.