“I don’t think there is any danger,” replied Little Rifle, who then made known—what we have already stated to the reader—his belief that the Indian whom they had shot, was not in pursuit of the lads, and indeed did not know or suspect their presence behind the falls. This theory was entirely new to his friend, who, after hearing the reasons for his belief, was disposed to believe it implicitly.
“Then all we have to do,” he continued, “is to wait here until night comes, and go out the same way that we came in. Isn’t that it, Little Rifle?”
“I am afraid it is, unless we can find some other way out. What time of day is it?”
“It must be past noon; I remember just before I went over the falls, that I took my last look, as I supposed, at the sun, and it was then directly overhead, so it must have been about mid-day.”
“Yes,” returned Little Rifle, “the afternoon is only fairly begun, for things have moved lively with us, since then. If we stay here until night, we have got a good six hours’ stretch before us at least. I have waited many a time for a much longer period than that, but it isn’t the most pleasant thing to do, especially when you don’t know whether you are going to make any thing by it or not. I hope we can do better.”
“You have hinted that same thing before,” said Harry; “what do you mean by it?”
“You know that I told you that Old Ruff Robsart has been here before us. It was a long time ago, and I do not remember what he told me; but I suspect that he found his way out by a different passage from the one he used in entering.”
“And you think there is a possibility of our finding the passage?”
“Yes—although there isn’t much hope either, but I would rather be moving about, even if we don’t find any thing to pay us, than to stay here, and wait till the night comes.”
“So would I,” added Harry, in his cheery voice. “I got a little crack just now from something against the sore on my head, that stung me a little—but it is all over now. Lead on, and I will follow. If you are going to change your gait, give me notice, so that we don’t get separated.”