way and that into the depths of the forest. They saw us not in the thick bushes; maybe it was because of the prayers which I said with might and main. At last the distance swallowed them, the forest seemed clear, no sound, no motion. Long we waited, but with the sunset we stole from the bushes and down an aisle of the forest toward the river, rounded a little wood of cedar, and came full upon perhaps fifty of the savages” — He paused to draw a great breath and to raise his brows after a fashion that he had.

“Go on, go on!” I cried. “What did you do? You have said that she is alive and safe!”

“She is,” he answered, “but no thanks to me, though I did set lustily upon that painted fry. Who led them, d’ ye think, Ralph? Who saved us from those bloody hands?”