The canoes were now rather close to the Kentucky shore, and constantly approaching nigher, although Pat Mulroony, who had his eyes about him, was at a loss to conjecture the cause of this movement. The other canoe was considerably in advance—its inmates finding it difficult to time their velocity to the tardy movements of their two companions.
Of course the remarks of the Irishman were not comprehended by either of the Shawanoes, although they now and then caught a word. But it was easy to see from his pleasant eye, his broad grin, and the rollicking expression of his face, that he was in the best of spirits. Despite the stern, gloomy exterior of the foremost savage, there was a spice of waggery in his composition, and his black, snake-like eyes softened somewhat in expression as he looked upon the jovial Irishman.
"Paddle 'um canoe!" suddenly remarked this Indian, handing his paddle to him.
"Of course I will," replied Pat, eagerly taking the proffered paddle.
He dipped it deep into the water, and attempted to make a powerful sweep with it; but it turned in his hand, cutting through the water like a knife, and with such velocity as nearly to throw him overboard. Both savages laughed at his awkward movements, while the Irishman worked all the harder.
"Get in the bow of the boat," he whispered to Virginia, as he kept hard at work. The girl arose and exchanged places with him, the savages looking upon her movement as a voluntary one upon her part, to be safe from the erratic blows of the toiling captive. By and by these became so amusing, that the remaining Shawanoe ceased working in order to watch him.
There were three noticeable facts which entirely escaped the observation of the savages. The first was that the other canoe was a considerable distance in advance of them—much further than they would have been willing to allow, had their attention been called to it. The second was that a few hundred yards down stream, a large creek put in from the Kentucky shore; and the last, and certainly most important one, was that in spite of the awkward, vimless efforts of the Irishman, the canoe was approaching slowly but surely the mouth of this creek. The latter fact might possibly have been merely accidental, but a suspicious observer would not have believed thus. Virginia, too, noticed an expression in the eyes of Pat Mulroony, that made her heart beat faster.
Nearer and nearer approached the canoe to the eddying mouth of the creek. The Indians, grinning and unsuspicious, did not notice it until they were fairly within it. Then one of them reached forward to take the oar.
"Ugh! turn back!"