They were half-way round the lake when Walter halted, and climbed a tree in order to discover, if possible, the whereabouts of the party. But, on seeing nothing from his elevated perch, he was about descending, when an object on the lake drew his attention.
In a direct route, that is a “bee-line,” across the water, he was about a mile from the landing by the log, near where he found Katie. But by land and through the forest it was about two miles. Looking across the water, he could see a dark object slowly moving from the island toward the land, on the water.
At first he could not distinguish the outline of the object—it was a dark, close mass; but, by degrees, it assumed shape, and he saw what it was.
“Ha, Katie! there is a raft on the lake, covered with men. Who can it be?”
“Which way are they going?” she asked, paling at the remembrance of her captivity.
“From the island toward the landing.”
“Oh, Walter, it is they; they are after me. Oh, come down and let us fly.”
“Nay, stay a bit,” he replied. “It may perhaps be our friends, though I don’t see how they could have gotten to the island and back as soon as this. I can see the dug-out now, empty and lying by the big log; they are steering toward it. It must be the robbers.”
Confident in his ability to throw them from the scent, he watched the raft until it touched the shore. The men slowly disembarked, and filed out upon the log, where they stood like a row of vultures, leaving one man upon the raft.
A dark object was at his feet. This soon arose, and Walter discovered it to be a large dog. He wondered what use they had for a dog, and why did they bring the beast with them on this expedition?