On, on plunged the pursued, until many a mile had been passed; still they halted not. The voices and answering shouts of the savages could be heard upon every side, and they had yet by no means reached a place of safety. Now some limb brushed in Leland's face, or he stumbled over some fallen tree, and then, without a murmur, arose and pursued his way. On, on they hurried, until the dispersing darkness told them that the day was not far distant. "I can travel no further," said Leland, sinking to the earth. "Give out?" queried Kent. "I believe I have. This is a terrible chase; but the prospect of a recapture and death cannot goad me further, until I have rested." "Wal, no mistake we have tramped some; but Lord save you, this is just fun for me." "Do you not think that they will abandon pursuit?" "No danger of that. As soon as 'tis light they'll pounce upon our trail, and foller it until it's lost or we are cotched." "Which must not be." "Wal, p'raps if they get their claws on you you wouldn't feel very comfortable." But they had passed through the most trying ordeals, and had now only to make their way as best they could. Kent had some idea of the nature of the ground, and they progressed with greater ease and rapidity, after a short rest. "Here we are," said the hunter, coming to a halt. Leland gazed ahead, and saw a broad sheet of water which he knew must be the Ohio. "And now," added Kent, "we've got to hunt up Leslie. He can't be far off, and I'm in hopes we'll stumble upon him afore day. Just squat and make yourself miserable while I take a run up and down the bank." Leland obeyed him, and in a moment was left alone, shivering in the chilly night-air, and feeling miserable indeed in his lonely situation. But he was not disposed to murmur; he had escaped death--that was enough. In the course of an hour Kent returned with the information that he had found the boat about half a mile up, but that Leslie was not in it. Both started, and, after stumbling over bushes loaded with water, and sinking into the miry shore, and wading in the river by turns, they came upon it, pulled high up on the bank. It was becoming lighter every moment, and as Kent knew that as soon as possible their trail would be followed, he was unwilling to brook the slightest delay. "As soon as one is out the scrape another gets in. Here you have got clear, and now _he_ must go and make a fool of himself. If he's got taken, that's the meanest trick yet." "Perhaps he is not far off," said Leland, stepping in the boat and searching it. "He is not here, certainly," he added, after looking over it. "I'll wait a while, and then we must look out for ourselves. No use of losing our own hair in tryin' to help him," rejoined Kent. Both took the boat, and turning it over so as to free it from water, shoved it out from the beach. "Halloa, Leslie! If you're about just say so, and if you ain't let us know," shouted Kent, in a loud voice.