I ran but feebly at first, skirting the partially destroyed stockade of the old Fort, with its litter of debris, and stumbling constantly in the darkness over the obstructions that lined the river bank.

As my breath returned, and I somewhat cleared my eyes of blood, I saw better; and at last ran from the darker soil on to the white sand of the beach.
There were now many stars in the sky, with the moon struggling feebly to break through the haze; but to my anxious glance nothing was visible upon, the water.

Surely the boat must have floated to the river-mouth by this time,--surely the force of the current would have accomplished that; nor was it likely that Ol' Burns would draw far away from shore until assured of my fate.

The wild shouting told me that savages from the camp had already found their dead.

A moment more would place them on my trail, hot for revenge; and there was no course left me but to take the water, before their keen eyes found me out.