﻿RESIDENCE AMONG THE INDIANS. 329 



we could perceive the whole band of savages busily employed in 

 making preparations probably to catch us. 



" See there, Miles, my boy," said Jollie, as he pointed to a 

 thicket a little \vay down the river; " do you see that light?" 



I did indeed see a faint e;limmerincr lio-ht on the other bank, which 



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seemed to be making frequent and circular motions. 



" That 's Jack," said my companion " that's Jack; and he has 

 seen us land here, and is endeavoring to attract our attention. If 

 that shower approaching only proves a regular drencher, we are 

 fixed. There 's the light again. Hurrah !" 



I saw nothing in the light to take courage from, yet I was glad to 

 *>P.Q Jollie so elated, and I felt sure he was a better judge than my- 

 self. In the mean time the storm came on, and it proved, as my 

 companion had hoped, a " regular drencher." The thunder and 

 lightning were truly terrific, and the rain poured down in a perfect 

 torrent. Jollie kept his eyes steadily upon the light until the rain 

 prevented it from being seen. We drew our canoe ashore, and hav- 

 ing turned it bottom upwards, crawled under it to prevent getting 

 wet. 



The rain continued to come down for more than hour, when the 

 cloud passed over, and it grew light again. We had managed to 

 keep our rifles perfectly dry, and after examining our little stock 

 of dried buffalo meat, we came forth from our shelter. To my sur- 

 prise, the fire upon the other shore had almost entirely disappeared, 

 and we could occasionally hear a stifled yell from our enemies. 



" Now, Miles, ship your traps, and we must be off. We have no 

 time to lose. Have you got everything ? Push off? Take care 

 and speak low, and sit on the bottom of the boat." 



Jollie, as soon as we were afloat, seized a paddle, and keeping 

 for a short time close to the shore, silently urged our frail canoe over 

 the water. When nearly opposite the point where the flickering 

 light had been seen, he turned the prow of our boat across the river, 

 and pulled for the spot. We landed without being molested, but 

 heard no one. Jollie gave one of his peculiar shrill whistles, which, 

 to our great joy, was anrwered. In a very few minutes Jack San- 

 ford was with us. He had been wounded in his leg, but not 

 severely, and crawling into the thicket, he had escaped notice. 



