"We had little difficulty, so long as we kept in the middle of the stream, and one discharge from our guns was generally enough to drive them away."
"And for how far does this prevail?"
"Two or three days ought to take us out of the danger. Then it will be plain sailing all the rest of the way. The river is long, but, dearest, we shall be with each other, and it will seem brief."
She parted her lips to make a suitable reply, when a startled expression came upon her lovely countenance and she whispered:
"They must have followed us through the woods."
"What do you mean?" he asked, grasping his rifle.
"I hear some one moving behind us."
"It is a wild animal——"
He checked himself, for, to his unspeakable amazement, Professor Grimcke at that instant stepped to view.
The two men caught sight of each other at the same moment. They stared as if in doubt, and then, with exclamations of delight, clasped hands.