“Forward, then!” cried Frank. “Is there not a short cut?”
Both looked for this. In the same instant they espied it.
The creek took a long turn, and by cutting directly across a meadow the two pursuers saw that they would be likely to cut off the savages.
Accordingly they started forward on the run.
The Indian captors saw their move at once, and an angry yell went up from them.
One of them rose in the canoe and took quick aim and fired.
The bullet whistled close to Barney’s ear. The Celt stopped and cocked his rifle.
“Be jabers, I’ll spoil that fellow!” he cried, “Have at yez, ye blatherskite!”
Barney’s rifle spoke.
But the motion of the canoe very likely destroyed the aim, for the bullet did not take effect.