“This is jest too easy, Paul,” said Jim Hart, “With them runnin’ aroun’ that big outer circle, they couldn’t keep up with us even ef they could see us.  Let’s rest a while.”

Both put their paddles inside the canoe and drew long breaths.  Each had a feeling of perfect safety, for the time at least, and they let the boat drift northward under the gentle wind from the south that rippled the surface of the lake.

“Water and darkness,” said Paul.  “They are our friends.”

“The best we could have,” said Jim Hart.  “Are you rested now, Paul?”

“I’m fresh again.”

They resumed the paddles, and, curving about, came down on the western side of the lake until they were opposite the island.  Then they paddled straight for their home, and the word “home,” in this case, had its full meaning for Paul.  It gave him a thrill of delight when the prow of the canoe struck upon the margin of the little island, and the gloom of the great trees was friendly and protecting.

“We must hide the canoe good,” said Jim Hart.

They concealed it in a thick clump of bushes, and then Hart carefully readjusted the bushes so that no one would notice that they had ever been disturbed, and they took their way to the hut in the glen.  They did not light a fire, but they sat for a little while on the stones, talking.

“You’re sure they won’t come over to the Island?” said Paul.

“They’ll never do it,” replied Jim Hart confidently.  “Besides, they ain’t got the least suspicion that we’ve come here.  Likely, they think we’ve landed at the north end uv the lake, an’ they’ll be prowlin’ aroun’ thar three or four days lookin’ fur us.  Jest think, Paul, uv all the work they’ll hev fur nothin’.  I feel like laughin’.  I think I will laugh.”

He kept his word and laughed low; but he laughed long, and with the most intense pleasure.

“Jest to think, Paul,” he continued, “how we’re guarded by dead Injuns theirselves!”

Presently the two went into the hut, and slept soundly until the next morning.  They did not light a fire then, but ate cold food, and went down among the trees to watch the lake.  They saw nothing.  The water rippled and glowed in alternate gold and silver under the brilliant sunshine, and the hills about it showed distinctly; but there was no sign of a human being except themselves.

“Lookin’ fur us among the hills,” said Jim Hart.  “You an’ me will jest keep close, Paul, an’ we won’t light no fire.”

The whole day passed without incident, and the following night also, but about noon the next day, as they watched from the shelter of the trees, they saw a black dot on the lake, far to the south.

“A canoe!” said Jim Hart.

“A canoe?  How did they get it?” said Paul—­he took it for granted that its occupants were Miamis.

“Guess they brought it across country from some river, and thar they are,” replied Jim Hart.  “They’ve shore put a boat on our lake.”