"Sure, there be always danger av that same," remarked the other, grimly; "but, on this occasion, 'tis a peril av another color intirely. The flood is bearin' down upon yees like a race horse, and, befoor the dawn av another day, it may be the risin' water wull be afther swapin' away some av the cabins in the settlement!" "Oh! but how could Blue Jacket learn about that, when it must be many miles up the river, and coming much faster than any Indian could run?" demanded Sandy. "Ye must know," went on the Irish trapper, impressively, "that these rid hathen have a way av communicatin' news by manes av smoke signals in the day time, and fires at night. From hill to hill, many miles away, they sind these smokes; and, so I've been towld at laist, the missage can be carried as much as a hundred miles in less time than it wud take a horse to run tin." "Yes, that is something I knew about, but had forgotten," admitted Sandy. "And this flood, does it come from the last rain, or has there been what I heard my father call a cloud-burst?" asked Bob, anxiously; for his thoughts were upon the little community some miles up the river, which had already grappled with more perils than the settlers had ever dreamed could be met with in this new country. "That I do not chanct to know, me bye," replied Pat. "'Tis enough to learn that the flood is comin' tearin' along down the river, and that the water will rise in a way niver known before. The Injuns are wild with alarrm. Their ould medicine-min do be on the rampage, and kape tillin' thim they do be sufferin' from the anger av the Great Spirit, becase av their allowin' the white trispassers till remain on the sacred land that was given till their ancestors long years ago. It all manes hapes av trouble for the pioneers, from Boonesborough till Fort Washington, and all the way along the Ohio." "I can see the shore again," called out Sandy at this moment; for, while he had been listening with deep anxiety to what the trapper said, at the same time his keen young eyes had been on the watch to detect the first signs of land ahead. A minute later, and Sandy again broke out with an exclamation, and this time there was a note of wonder, not unmixed with anxiety, in his voice. "Look! there is a fire burning on the shore below, and just about where we will come to the land!" he cried out. "And I can see one or two white men beside it; yes, with an Indian also," added Bob, who had as sharp vision as his brother. "And they must hear us talking, for they have jumped to their feet, and seem to be looking this way. Can it be some of our friends from above, brother?" asked the younger boy, eagerly. "I do not think so," Bob answered. "They are not in the broad firelight now; but, from the glimpse I had, I took them to be woodrangers like Pat here, and some of the others we know."