"He ought to have had better sense than to paddle out there in open day, plunge right into the woods and go to shooting without stopping to see what the danger is. But what will become of him?"
"This Indian here must have had some way of getting upon the island. I believe he has a canoe hid somewhere."
"But what of it? We cannot think of leaving until we know something definite about Tim."
"Unless some of the Indians start to come over to the island, and then we'll leave."
"Do you think that would be the wisest plan, Elwood? They can handle the paddle so much better than we that it would take but little time for them to overhaul us. Then, too, if they should find us by this suffering brother of theirs would it not make friends of them?"
"Suppose this Indian here is one of their enemies?"
This was a supposition that had never occurred to Howard before, but which he saw was very reasonable. All Indians not belonging to the same tribe might be supposed to be enemies of each other, and thus the mercy and kindness of our young heroes might be made the means of their destruction.
"I didn't think of that," said Howard, "it may be so. But let us hope for the best. Tim may soon return to us again."
"He has been seen by Indians, and if they haven't got him now they will soon have him if he undertakes to paddle his canoe over to the island."
"You are right, Elwood; he will no doubt wait until it is dark, and then come out to us as stealthily as he can."
"That is if he gets the chance. I tell you, Howard," said his cousin, starting up, "this begins to look bad."
"We know how those red men handle their guns, and it don't look likely to me that all those shots have missed Tim."
"They may be quite a distance apart--far enough to make their aim uncertain."
"But then they could cut off his return to the shore."
Howard suddenly laid his hand upon the arm of his cousin and pointed to the other shore.
Three Indians walked leisurely down to the shore of the river, as though in quest of nothing particular, and stood gesticulating as they generally do with their whole arms. They were about two hundred yards above the point where Tim O'Rooney landed, but their position was such that the canoe might have rested on the surface of the water without being seen. Sensible of their danger, the boys at first sight of them withdrew into cover, from which they cautiously peered out and watched their movements.