“Paddle steady,” Nat said; “and whatever you do, be keerful of your blades.  If one was to break now it would mean the loss of our scalps.  Don’t gain on ’em; as long as the redskins on shore think as their friends are going to catch us, they won’t care to put out and join in the chase; but if they thought we was getting away, they might launch canoes ahead of us and cut us off.  The nearer we are to them the better, as long as we are keeping ahead.”

For an hour the chase continued.  The Indians, although straining every nerve, did not gain a foot upon the fugitives, who, although paddling hard, had still some reserve of strength.  The sun, by this time, was touching the tops of the hills.

“Now, cap,” Nat said, “it’s time to teach ’em as we can bite a bit.  They won’t be quite so hot over it, if we give them a lesson now.  Do you turn round and pepper them a bit.

“Now, old hoss!  You and I must row all we know for a bit.”

Turning himself in the canoe, resting his elbow on his knee to steady his rifle, James took as careful an aim as the dancing motion of the boat permitted, and fired.  A dull sound came back, like an echo, to the crack of the piece, and a paddle in the leading boat fell into the water.  A yell arose from the Indians, but no answering shout came back.

The Indians were now paddling even harder than before, in hope of overtaking the canoe, now that it was impelled by but two rowers.  But the scouts were rowing their hardest, and proved the justice of their fame, as the best paddlers on the lakes, by maintaining their distance from their pursuers.

Again and again James fired, several of his bullets taking effect.  It was now rapidly becoming dusk.

“That will do, captain.  We had best be showing them our heels now, and get as far ahead as we can, by the time it is quite dark.”

James laid by his rifle and again took his paddle, and, as all were rowing at the top of their speed, they gradually increased the distance between themselves and their pursuers.  Rapidly the gap of water widened, and when darkness fell on the lake, the fugitives were more than half a mile ahead of their pursuers.  The night was dark, and a light mist rising from the water further aided them.  When night had set in, the pursuing canoes could no longer be seen.

For another half hour they paddled on, without intermitting their efforts, then, to James’s surprise, Nat turned the head of the canoe to the western shore.  He asked no question, however, having perfect faith in Nat’s sagacity.  They were nearly in the middle of the lake when they altered their course, and it took them half an hour’s hard paddling, before the dark mass of trees loomed up in the darkness ahead of him.  Ten minutes before, Nat had passed the word that they should paddle quietly and noiselessly.  It was certain that the chase would be eagerly watched from the shore, and that any Indians there might be in the wood would be closely watching near the water’s edge.