“As how?” asked Boone.

“Why, I don’t know’s it’s exactly right for me to tell as how,” replied Isaac, shrewdly, who was fearful of saying what Ella herself might wish kept a secret.

“I understand ye,” said Boone, in a low tone, heard only by Isaac; and the subject was then changed for one more immediately connected with their present journey.

In the course of conversation that followed, it was asked of Boone how he chanced to be in the vicinity, and learned of the calamity that had befallen Algernon and Ella, before any of the others; to which he replied, by stating that he was on his way from Boonesborough to Bryan’s Station, and coming into the path just above the ravine, had been indebted to his noble brute companion for the discovery—­a circumstance which raised Caesar in the estimation of the whole party to a wonderful degree.  Nor was this estimation lessened by the conduct of Caesar himself in the present instance; for true to his training, instinct, and great sagacity, he led them forward at a rapid pace, and seemed possessed of reasoning powers that would have done no discredit to an intelligent human being.  One instance in point is worthy of note.  In passing through a dense thicket on the Indian trail, the noble brute discovered a small fragment of ribbon, which he instantly seized in his mouth, and, turning back to his master, came up to him, wagging his tail, with a look expressive of joy, and dropped it at his feet.  On examination it was recognized as a detached portion of a ribbon worn by Ella; and this little incident gave great animation and encouragement to the party—­as it proved that she at least was yet alive, and had a hope of being followed by friends.

Some two hours from their leaving the ravine, they came to the dark pass, where we have seen the meeting between the two Indian parties.  Here our pursuers halted a few minutes to examine the ground, and form conjectures as to what had taken place—­in doing which, all paid the greatest deference to the opinions and judgment of Boone, who was looked upon by all who knew him as a master of the woodman’s craft.

After gazing intently for some time at the foot prints, Boone informed his companions that another party had been in waiting, had been joined by the others, and that all had proceeded together down the stream; and moreover, that there was an addition of white prisoners, one of which was a child.  This caused a great sensation among his listeners—­many of whom had lost their relatives, as the reader already knows—­and Hope, the cheering angel, which hovers around us on our pathway through life, began to revive in each breast, that the friends they were mourning as dead, might still be among the living, and so made them more eager than ever to press on to the rescue.

At the river’s bank, the sagacious Caesar discovered another piece of ribbon—­dropped there as the reader knows by Ella—­which he carried in triumph to his master, and received in turn a few fond caresses.