eyes which seemed to include everybody before him, then he said very coolly that he had seen no riffle that might indicate shallow water, but that there was a ford not far below, and we ought to strike it before sunset.

“Halt here,” said I, pretending to remain still unconvinced. “Sagamore, do you come with me a rod or so upstream.”

“There is no ford within a rod or two,” said the Wyandotte stolidly.

And, after we had left the others, the Mohican murmured, as we hastened on:

“No, not with one rod or two, but the third rod marks it.”

Presently, speeding under the outer fringe of trees, I caught sight of a thin line across the water, slanting from shore to shore —