Now arose a query. The island was so small that it contained no game of any kind, and so was unavailable to supply their wants. The river abounded in fish, but there was no means of catching them; and finally, after some discussion, it was agreed that Tim should cross over to the mainland and shoot something.
"Do yez kaap your eyes about yez till I'z back again, for some of the coppery gintlemen may take a notion to pay yez a visit."
The boys felt a little uneasiness as they saw their companion enter the canoe and paddle toward the eastern shore--the shore which as yet had been unvisited by them. They watched until he landed, pulled the boat up behind him into shelter, and then disappeared in the wood.
"We shall be in rather a bad situation if he never comes back," remarked Elwood.
"I don't know about that; in what better occupation can we be found than in ministering to the wants of a suffering Indian? Would not that itself protect us from injury?"
"Perhaps it might; but what would become of us any way? They wouldn't be kind enough to guide us up to San Francisco."
"They might take us so far that we could find our way."
"Hardly; I don't like to see Tim go to that shore; it looks too dangerous. I wonder why he did it?"
"He must have believed there is more game there."
"But there is enough on the other side, and he would avoid this greater danger by going there."
"I imagine that a river running through a hostile country is as dangerous upon one side as upon the other, and there is little choice, Howard, in the matter."
"But I know _you_ feel unpleasant in being thus left alone."
"I know I shall be glad to see Tim come back again, for there is always great danger in such a small party separating."
"Halloo! there goes his gun or somebody else's."
The sharp crack of the rifle came from the shore, and Elwood was sure he saw the faint smoke of the discharge ascend from some thick bushes near the edge of the wood. But he was no doubt mistaken, for as they scrutinized the spot they detected nothing of him who had fired the gun.
"I suppose it was Tim firing at some game. You know he is not a very good shot, and so he has badly wounded without killing it."
Crack went a gun, almost instantly followed by three similar reports. The boys turned pale and looked at each other.