﻿328 PICTORIAL MISCELLANY. 



I judged by the sound, were redoubled. Presently a hand grasped 

 the edge of the canoe, and before I had time to strike at it, an individ- 

 ual had thrown himself completely into the boat, by my side. Judge 

 of my surprise when I saw that, instead of an Indian, it was Jollie ! 

 I made a motion as though I would speak, but he cried out, " Lie 

 still, for your life ; keep close to the bottom of the boat." In an- 

 other instant a shower of bullets whistled over and around us, 

 several of which pierced our frail vessel through and through. 

 44 Thank you," said Jollie, raising his head and peaking through one 

 of the apertures; "you've made me a good window. There are 

 more than fifty of the black varmints, and several are now preparing 

 to swim for us. Miles, my boy, hand me your jack-knife." I rea- 

 dily passed my companion the knife, with which he cut a large hole 

 in the side of the canoe furthest from the savages. With a bit of 

 the bark he gently and gradually paddled our boat further and fur- 

 ther from our persecutors, though now and then the shot from their 

 rifles would scatter around us, and we were for some time in much 

 danger. The river being very wide here, we were shortly out of 

 the reach of harm, and soon reached the opposite shore, where we 

 could watch the manoeuvres of the savages in safety. 



" Well, Jollie," said I, fixing my eyes upon him, " we got out of 

 that scrape pretty neat." 



He turned towards me for an instant, evidently to ascertain if I 

 was in earnest, and then said, " Out of it into it, you mean." 



u No, I mean out of it. The rascals are on the other side of the 

 river, and we are on this, entirely out of their reach. Pretty soon. 

 it will be dark, and then we can move off unseen, and cut for home." 



"That is all very well, Master Miles," said my comforter, "but 

 you forget how far we are from home. You forget how many red 

 faces may be cruising on the river after us. You forget our two 

 companions. Would you go off without them ? Let us wait a 

 spell." 



It was now so dark that we could see but a very few rods upon 

 the water distinctly. The dim outline of the hills could just be 

 traced, and to complete our interesting situation, a thunder shower 

 began to gather in the distance. Presently a large fire was kindled 

 on the opposite shore, which cast a perfect damper on all my favor- 

 ite plans. Every object on the water could be distinctly seen, and 



