Leaving the savages to conduct their captives along the toilsome way that led to the Indian village, let us return, and for a time follow the movements of the scout.
Turning his back upon the spot where misfortune had overtaken his friends, he struck off at a round pace through the forest, with the red-skins following at his heels.
He had little doubt but that he would be able to distance them in the race, though he was by no means so fresh as he might have been.
Since morn of the previous day, no food had passed his lips, and as the reader is aware he had undergone a great deal of fatigue.
Still he did not doubt but what he could easily leave the savages behind him.
And this he did. Before twenty minutes had passed he had left them so far in the rear, that he could hear nothing of them, though he paused and listened several times for the sound of their footsteps.
“You ain’t got the Death-Dealer into yer clutches yet,” he muttered to himself. “He’s going to live to stop a good deal more of yer deviltry. You’ve done pretty well to-night, but you ain’t out of the woods yet. You’ve got a good deal of trouble still, afore you settle down to housekeeping, Mister Red-skin. I don’t know but what I am mistaken, but I think I shall have a hand in settling your hash myself. I’ve only turned my back on ye for a little while. I shall be in yer company ag’in full as soon as you’ll want me I guess.”
Thus communing with himself he went on slowly, stopping every now and then to hearken for his pursuers. But there was no sign of them now.
Evidently they had given over the race, and returned to the spot from whence they started.
Though assured of this the scout went on still further. He went on aimlessly. He was bound for no particular place. He only wanted to get so far from the savages that there would be no danger of their coming up with him, while he stopped and refreshed himself. Though he had been up thus much of the night he did not feel the want of sleep, for he had got enough of that the day before. But he did begin to feel a little hungry, and this demand of his appetite he determined to gratify as soon as he should be at what he considered a safe distance from his enemies.