“Dat you, Oonomoo?”

“Yeh—­’tis me.”  The quick eye of the Huron had caught a glimpse of the girl behind the Dutchman, and he now came up and addressed her: 

“Is my friend ’fraid?”

“No, no; thank Heaven! is that you, my good, kind Oonomoo?” asked the girl, reeling forward, until sustained by the gentle grasp of the Indian.

“Yeh—­me take care of you.  Here somebody else—­t’ink he know how better—­guess like him, too.”  She caught a glimpse of another form as the savage spoke in his jesting manner.  She needed nothing more to assure her of its identity.  Lieutenant Canfield came forward, and placing one arm around her waist, and drawing her fervently to him, he said: 

“Oh! my dear Mary, I am so glad to see you again.  Are you unharmed?”

“Not a hair of my head has been injured.  And how is my dear father and mother and sister Helen?”

“Your father was perfectly well and in good spirits when I left him a few days since, and as he knows nothing of this calamity, there is no reason for believing it is any different with him.  Your mother and sister I think know nothing of this, although I fear their apprehensions must be excited.”

“I trust I shall soon be with them, and oh!  I pray——­”

“I’s gettin’ shleepy,” suddenly exclaimed Hans Vanderbum.

“Take gum?”

“Yaw; took much as Keewaygooshturkumkankangewock.”

“Git sleep soon—­go back—­don’t wake up.”

“Yaw, I will.”  And before any one could speak, Hans was lumbering through the bushes and woods on his way back to his lodge, fearful that if he delayed he would fall asleep.  It was the wish of Lieutenant Canfield to thank him for his kindness to his betrothed, and the latter, very grateful for his honest friendship, intended to assure him of it, but his hasty exit prevented.

The gum of which Hans Vanderbum had partaken, began soon to have a perceptible effect.  He stumbled forward against the bushes and trees, blinking and careless of what he did, until he reached the door of his wigwam.  Here he summoned all his energies, and, stepping carefully over his wife, lay down beside her, and almost immediately was asleep.

As might be expected, the wife was the first to awaken.  So profound had been her sleep that the forenoon of the next day was fully half gone before she opened her eyes, and then it required a few minutes to regain entire possession of her faculties.  Looking around, she saw the inanimate forms of her children, and close beside her the unconscious Hans Vanderbum, and, horror of horrors, the captive was gone!  She was now thoroughly awakened.  With a shrill scream she sprung to her feet.  Giving her husband several violent kicks, and shouting his name, she ran outside to arouse the Shawnees, and set them upon the track, if it was not already too late.  Hans opened one eye, and, seeing how matters stood, he shut it