To his astonishment and dismay it again changed its course, and headed directly toward the rock in front of them.

He looked at his companion, but his face was as immovable as a statue's and, determined not to show any childish fear, he maintained his place and said no more.
Reaching the outer end of the rock, the Miamis halted for a moment or two, when they turned down the river again, and landed about a hundred yards below where our two friends were standing.

The latter waited for full half an hour, when, seeing and hearing nothing more of them, the Huron resolved to obtain his canoe, and continue their journey down the river.
"But where is it ?" asked the soldier, when he announced his intention.
"Fastened out end of rock." "May be the Miamis discovered it and have destroyed it." "Dunno--meb' so--didn't take him 'way, dough." "Is the water very deep ?" "Two--t'ree--twenty feet--swim dere." As it seemed impossible to run even the most ordinary risk, the Lieutenant felt no apprehension at all when he saw him walk down to the water without his rifle, and wade out and commence swimming.

The moon, as we have said, was unusually bright, and not only the dark, ball-like head of the Huron could be seen, floating on the surface, but, when his face was turned in the right direction, his black eyes and aquiline nose and high cheek-bones were plainly distinguishable, while his long, black hair, simply closed in one clasp (years before it was always gathered in the defiant scalp-lock), floated like a veil behind him.
The soldier watched him until he disappeared around the corner of the rock, and then patiently awaited his return.
The Huron was a most consummate swimmer, and moved, while in the water, as silently as a fish.

More from habit than anything else, as he found himself in the eddy made by the twisting of the river around the upper edge of the stone, he "backed water," and, for a moment, remained perfectly motionless.