The canoe approached slowly, until it was within thirty yards.  James and his companions went on with their fishing, as if they did not notice the approach of the other canoe, until one of the Indians spoke.

“Have my Indian brothers caught many fish?”

“A goodish few,” Nat replied.  “One or two of them are large ones.

“See here,” and he stooped as if to select a large fish.

“Now,” he said suddenly.

In an instant, the three rifles were levelled to the shoulder, and pointed at the Indians.  The latter, taken completely by surprise, and finding themselves with three barrels levelled at them, as by one accord dived overboard.

“Now your paddles,” Nat exclaimed.

Three strokes sent the canoe dancing up to that which the Indians had just left.  It struck it on the broadside, and rolled it instantly over.

“Those redskin guns are out of the way, anyhow,” Nat said.  “Now we have got to row for it.”

He gave a sharp turn to the canoe as he spoke, and it bounded away towards the right, thereby throwing those outside it on their quarter.  Simultaneously with the upset of the canoe, half a dozen rifles rang out from the shore, an Indian war whoop rose at the edge of the woods, and, a minute later, half a dozen canoes shot out from shore.

Chapter 15:  Through Many Perils.

The course Nat was taking was not parallel to that of the boats outside him.  He was sheering gradually out into the lake, and, although the boat was travelling somewhat faster than its pursuers, James saw that its course would carry it across their bows at a dangerously close distance.  The Indians were not long in seeing that the canoe was outstripping them, and in each of the boats one of the redskins laid aside his paddle, and began to fire.  The balls struck the water near the canoe, but no one was hit.

“Let them fire,” Jonathan said.  “It ain’t every man as can shoot straight from a canoe going at racing pace.  The more they fires the better.  They will only fall further behind.”

After firing two or three shots each, the Indians appeared to be of the same opinion, and resumed their paddles; but they had lost so much ground that the canoe they were in chase of shot out into the lake fifty yards ahead of the nearest.  Some more shots were fired, and then the Indians began hastily to throw the fish, with which their canoes were laden, into the water.  After paddling two or three hundred yards farther, Nat laid in his paddle.

“Out with them fish,” he said.  “You can leave one or two for supper, but the rest must go overboard.  Be quick about it, for those canoes from the shore are coming up fast.”

The work was concluded just as the canoes with the Owl and his warriors came up with the others, which, having now got rid of their fish, again set out, and, in a close body, the ten canoes started in pursuit.