The savages had disappeared almost as suddenly as they had come, and presently Joe sprang up, saying.
"Dar's de little canoe lodged in the bushes, an' I'se gwine to fasten her to the bank anyhow, so's we'll have her if we want her." What possible use they could make of the canoe, it had not entered Joe's head to ask perhaps, but he tied the boat in the bushes nevertheless and secreted the paddle in the drift pile.

He then visited the place where Dale's men had been surprised at breakfast, and brought off the pack of provisions which Dale had captured that morning from the savages and had himself abandoned in his turn.

The pack was a well-stored one, and its possession was a matter of no little moment to the boys, whose bill of fare had hitherto embraced no bread, of which there was here an abundance in the shape of ash cake.
"Mas' Tom," said Joe that evening, "do you know my master ?" "Mr.Butler?
Yes, certainly." "Well, if anything happens to poor Joe, and if you ever gits to de fort an' if Joe don't, an' if you sees my master dar you'll tell him Joe never runned away anyhow, won't you." "Yes, I'll tell him that Joe." "Even if the Ingins ketches me an' you dunno whar' I'se gone to, you'll tell him anyhow dat Joe never runned away from him or from you nuther, won't you, Mas' Tom ?" "Of course, Joe.

But there won't be any chance to tell him anything about it unless we all get back to the fort, and then you can tell him for yourself.

He thinks you are dead, of course, and doesn't dream that you ever ran away.