HOME AGAIN. 179 



of the island, on the side opposite to the one where Mike was con- 

 cealed, and a young Seminole stepped to the shore, and crouching 

 on one knee, cautiously peered around the point. A moment's 

 survey satisfied him, and returning to his canoe he paddled on as 

 rapidly as before, and turning the point of the island continued his 

 course down the channel where our boats had passed, and where 

 Mike lay concealed. He was dressed in buckskin breeches and 

 moccasins; a belt supported a heavy hunting-knife, while the 

 upper part of his body was completely naked. His head was bare, 

 and a daub of scarlet paint ornamented each cheek and either 

 breast. His blanket lay beside him, and with his eye fixed on the 

 winding channel ahead, he was paddling rapidly past, when Mike, 

 with a muscular push against the overhanging tree, shot out into 

 the lagoon so far that the two canoes floated almost side by side. 

 In spite of his training and his stoic blood, the Indian was startled, 

 evincing his surprise by a quick motion and an aspirated ejacula- 

 tion, as his hand involuntarily laid hold of his gun. Scipio was 

 paddling the canoe, and Mike's rifle was lying across his knee, 

 while with an appearance of most simple assurance, the hunter 

 said — 



" Good-morning, brother, were you looking for me ? " 



" No — yes," replied the Indian, too much taken by surprise to 

 collect his thoughts immediately; "I saw canoes ahead, I like 

 company." 



" My brother been to the Keys hunting ? " continued Mike. 



The Indian answered by a nod of assent, — a gesture that he 

 hoped the hunter would believe. 



"And is now going up the river again ? " 



" Yes," replied the Indian, willing to favour the first supposition. 



" Then we go together," said Mike, propelling his canoe a little 

 forward in the direction the Indian was going. 



" Yes, Indian is tired much rowing, he will not keep you back," 

 answered the savage evasively. 



The boats now lay side by side, and Mike, with his rifle in his 

 hand, deliberately stepped from his own canoe to that of the savage, 

 saying, as he did so, " Ingin Mike will help his brother paddle his 

 boat if he is tired." 



