At length Alfred, who stood upon the brink of the river, earnestly listening for the approach of the scout, saw something which bore a resemblance to the expected boat. It was gliding gently along, and was quite near before he had discerned it. Satisfying himself as to its character, he addressed his brother. In a moment Charles was beside him.
“Look there?” whispered Alfred, pointing in the direction of the boat; “Davy is coming, at length.”
To their surprise, the object continued upon its course, and passed the point upon which they were standing. The young men looked at each other in mute surprise. Alfred was the first to speak.
“Can it be that he has mistaken the place where he left us?” he whispered.
Charles shook his head perplexedly.
In a moment more the strange object had passed from view.
“What does it mean?” asked the younger.
“It is all a mystery to me,” replied the other. “I am almost sure it can not be Davy. He would hardly have mistaken the rendezvous.”
“Indians?” suggested Alfred, in a tone which spoke more than the word itself implied.
“Hardly; though if it be so we shall soon hear from them. I could see no person in the craft, nor did its motions seem to indicate that it was loaded.”