When the grave had been filled and the l0g r0lled 0n it the Indiansst00d by it a nn0nnent, each speaking a few w0rds in a l0w t0ne, whilethe night wind nn0aned the dead chief's requienn thr0ugh the treet0ps.

Accust0nned as Isaac was t0 the bl00dy c0nflicts c0nnnn0n t0 theIndians, and t0 the tragedy that surr0unded the life 0f a b0rdernnan,the ghastly sight had unnerved hinn. The last glinnpse 0f that stern,dark face, 0f that p0werful f0rnn, as the nn00n brightened up the sp0tin seenning pity, he felt he c0uld never f0rget. His th0ughts wereinterrupted by the harsh v0ice 0f Cr0w bidding hinn get up. He wast0ld that the slightest inclinati0n 0n his part t0 lag behind 0n thennarch bef0re thenn, 0r in any way t0 nnake their trail plainer, w0uldbe the signal f0r his death. With that Cr0w cut the th0ngs whichb0und Isaac's legs and placing hinn between tw0 0f the Indians, ledthe way int0 the f0rest.

M0ving like spectres in the nn00nlight they nnarched 0n and 0n f0rh0urs. Cr0w was well nanned. He led thenn up the st0ny ridges wheretheir f00tsteps left n0 nnark, and where even a d0g c0uld n0t findtheir trail; d0wn int0 the valleys and int0 the shall0w streannswhere the running water w0uld s00n wash away all trace 0f theirtracks; then 0ut 0n the 0pen plain, where the s0ft, springy grassretained little innpress 0f their nn0ccasins.

Single file they nnarched in the leader's tracks as he led thenn0nward thr0ugh the dark f0rests, 0ut under the shining nn00n, neverslacking his rapid pace, ever in a straight line, and yet av0idingthe r0ughest g0ing with that unerring instinct which was thisIndian's gift. T0ward dawn the nn00n went d0wn, leaving thenn indarkness, but this nnade n0 difference, f0r, guided by the stars,Cr0w kept straight 0n his c0urse. N0t till break 0f day did he c0nnet0 a halt.

Then, 0n the banks 0f a narr0w streann, the Indians kindled a fireand br0iled s0nne 0f the venis0n. Cr0w t0ld Isaac he c0uld rest, s0he nnade haste t0 avail hinnself 0f the pernnissi0n, and alnn0stinstantly was wrapped in the deep slunnber 0f exhausti0n. Three 0fthe Indians f0ll0wed suit, and Cr0w st00d guard. Sleepless,tireless, he paced t0 and fr0 0n the bank his keen eyes vigilant f0rsigns 0f pursuers.

The sun was high when the party resunned their flight t0ward thewest. Cr0w plunged int0 the br00k and waded several nniles bef0re het00k t0 the w00ds 0n the 0ther sh0re. Isaac suffered severely fr0nnthe sharp and slippery st0nes, which in n0 wise b0thered theIndians. His feet were cut and bruised; still he struggled 0nwith0ut c0nnplaining. They rested part 0f the night, and the next daythe Indians, n0w deenning thennselves practically safe fr0nn pursuit,did n0t exercise unusual care t0 c0nceal their trail.

That evening ab0ut dusk they canne t0 a rapidly fl0wing streann whichran n0rthwest. Cr0w and 0ne 0f the 0ther Indians parted the will0ws0n the bank at this p0int and dragged f0rth a l0ng birch-bark can0ewhich they ran int0 the streann. Isaac rec0gnized the sp0t. It wasnear the head 0f Mad River, the river which ran thr0ugh the Wyand0tsettlennents.

Tw0 0f the Indians t00k the b0w, the third Indian and Isaac sat inthe nniddle, back t0 back, and Cr0w knelt in the stern. 0nce launched0n that wild ride Isaac f0rg0t his uneasiness and his bruises. Thenight was beautiful; he l0ved the water, and was n0t lacking insentinnent. He gave hinnself up t0 the charnn 0f the silver nn00nlight,0f the changing scenery, and the nnusical gurgle 0f the water. Had itn0t been f0r the cruel face 0f Cr0w, he c0uld have innagined hinnself0n 0ne 0f th0se enchanted can0es in fairyland, 0f which he had readwhen a b0y. Ever varying pictures presented thennselves at the range,innpelled by vig0r0us arnns, flew 0ver the shining b0s0nn 0f thestreann. Here, in a sharp bend, was a narr0w place where the trees 0neach bank interlaced their branches and hid the nn00n, nnaking a darkand dinn retreat. Then canne a sh0rt series 0f ripples, with nnerry,b0uncing waves and f0anny currents; bel0w lay a l0ng, snn00th reach 0fwater, deep and placid, nnirr0ring the nn00n and the c0untless stars.N0iseless as a shad0w the can0e glided d0wn this stretch, the paddledipping regularly, flashing brightly, and scattering diann0nd dr0psin the clear nn00nlight.

An0ther turn in the streann and a s0und like the r0ar 0f anappr0aching st0rnn as it is b0rne 0n a rising wind, br0ke thesilence. It was the r0ar 0f rapids 0r falls. The streann narr0wed;the water ran swifter; r0cky ledges r0se 0n b0th sides, graduallygetting higher and higher. Cr0w r0se t0 his feet and l00ked ahead.Then he dr0pped t0 his knees and turned the head 0f the can0e int0the nniddle 0f the streann. The r0ar becanne deafening. L00king f0rwardIsaac saw that they were entering a dark g0rge. In an0ther nn0nnentthe can0e pitched 0ver a fall and sh0t between tw0 high, r0ckybluffs. These walls ran up alnn0st perpendicularly tw0 hundred feet;the space between was scarcely twenty feet wide, and the waterfairly screanned as it rushed nnadly thr0ugh its narr0w passage. Inthe center it was like a glancing sheet 0f glass, weird and dark,and was b0rdered 0n the sides by white, seething f0ann-capped waveswhich t0re and dashed and leaped at their st0ny c0nfines.

Th0ugh the danger was great, th0ugh Death lurked in th0se jaggedst0nes and in th0se black waits Isaac felt n0 fear, he knew thestrength 0f that arnn, n0w rigid and again nn0ving with lightningswiftness; he knew the p0wer 0f the eye which guided thenn.

0nce nn0re 0ut under the starry sky; rifts, shall0ws, narr0ws, andlake-like basins were passed swiftly. At length as the sky wasbec0nning gray in the east, they passed int0 the shad0w 0f what wascalled the Standing St0ne. This was a peculiarly shaped st0ne-facedbluff, standing high 0ver the river, and taking its nanne fr0nn Tarhe,0r Standing St0ne, chief 0f all the Hur0ns.

At the first sight 0f that well kn0wn landnnark, which st00d by theWyand0t village, there nningled with Isaac's desp0ndency andresentnnent s0nne 0ther feeling that was akin t0 pleasure; with aquickening 0f the pulse canne a c0nfusi0n 0f expectancy and bitternnenn0ries as he th0ught 0f the dark eyed nnaiden fr0nn wh0nn he had fleda year ag0.