"Maybe, Tom, we ain't on the track of Lew," said Dick, with a hopeful gleam.
"Yes, we are. I could tell his track among a thousand. The mistake isn't there. All we've got to do is to follow it."
The pursuit was renewed and kept up until the bank of a smaller stream was reached, where the trail was irrecoverably lost. After leading into the water, it failed to come out upon the opposite side, and the utmost skill of the hunters was unable to regain it. The entire day was consumed by them in the search, when it was given up as hopeless. It would have been hard to tell which feeling predominated in the breasts of the two Riflemen—an apprehensive anxiety for the fate of their leader, or a gratifying pride at this evidence which he had given of his consummate knowledge of woodcraft.
These two hunters continued their hunt for two days more, when they returned to the settlement and reported their failure to gain any definite knowledge of Dernor and Edith. Neither had the settlers gained any tidings of them.
Where were they?
CHAPTER VI.
A HUNTER'S WOOING.
And we knew
That this rare sternness had its softness too,
That woman's charm and grace upon his being wrought;