superior with the rifle, and his knowledge of woodcraft was such that, although he had spent ten years on the border, his slowness of foot had never operated against him; nor once had he been outwitted by the red-men of the woods. Besides this, he had the enviable reputation of being a _lucky individual_--one whose rifle never missed fire, or sped wide of its mark--one to whom no unfortunate accident over occurred; so that, take him all in all, few hunters were safer in the wood than this same Tom O'Hara. These four were known as the _Riflemen of the Miami_, of whom Lewis Dernor was the leader. Another member, then a long way off, will be referred to hereafter. "Quick, boys, and be careful that they don't see your heads," admonished Lewis, ducking his own and gesticulating to those behind him. "_Sh!_ look quick! there they go!" The four stretched their necks, glancing over the bank, out into a small clearing in the wood. "They'll cross that in a minute," whispered the first speaker. "Don't raise your heads too high or you'll be seen." "You don't appear to think nobody knows nothing but you," growled Tom, with a savage look. "_Quiet!_ There they go!" One Indian strode into the clearing, followed by another, then by two abreast, between whom a woman was walking, her head bent as if in despair, with steps painful and labored. Behind these came three other savages. They passed across the clearing--the whole seven, with their captive like the moving figures in a panorama, and entered the wood upon the opposite side. "Every mother's son of them is in his war-paint," said Lewis--who, by the way, divided his words with Tom, the other two rarely speaking except when directly appealed to. "Who said they wasn't?" demanded Tom. "And what difference does it make? They've got somebody's gal there, hain't they? eh? Say. And what's the odds whether they've daubed themselves up with their stuff or not?" "Well, what's the next move? To set up a yell and pitch after them?" "None but a fool would want to do that." "But don't you notice the bank gets so low down yonder that it won't hide us, and we'll have to show ourselves?" "It'll hide us as long as we want to be hid. Come, don't squat here, or we'll let the rascals slip, after all."