CHAPTER XXV.
A SINGULAR ESCAPE.
The shot from the treacherous Indian upon the shore was the firstintelligent warning Tim had that he was discovered by them. The kindProvidence who had so often turned aside the dangerous missile stillprotected him, and when he so suddenly dropped to the bottom of hiscanoe, it was with a bullet-hole through his coat but not through hisbody.
"Another illigant compliment to mesilf that it would afford me greatpleasure to return, and if you'll only be kind enough to wait a fewmoments, I'll do the same."
But ere he could bring his gun to bear, the wild shot from the islanddrove the savages to cover, and raised the Irishman's finger that waspressing the trigger.
We have already told how, when he undertook to use the paddle, he foundit too dangerous, and coming again behind the deer, he floated down thecurrent. This, after the severe labor he had undergone, was an agreeablechange, but he was not long in discovering it was dangerous. He wasdrifting away from his friends, and the further he went the greater didthe danger become to both parties. He speedily discovered that theIndians were following him, and the interposing body of the black-taileddeer was a most effectual protection. More than his own bullets wereburied in it ere he had gone a half-mile down stream.
"If I entertained a small doubt that yez was killed, I couldn't howld itwith them bullets rattlin' in your hide, me owld friend."
The efforts of a child, if steadily persevered in, would move the GreatEastern in calm water, and Tim was not long in making the discoverythat, if he could not use the paddle, he still was able to exert amotive power upon the canoe by a very slight means.
Reaching his hand over the side, he began paddling the water, and soonhad the gratifying consciousness that he was moving across the river.True, it was slow, but it was nevertheless certain and positive, and wascarrying him further away from his troublesome pursuers, and musteventually bring him against the western shore.
But when the island disappeared from view, and he had barely crossed thecenter of the stream, he begun to think that this species of locomotionwas rather tardy, and he partially came to the sitting position andventured to take his paddle in hand. A discharge from the shore warnedhim of the danger he ran, and he was reluctantly forced to drop his headagain and resort to his tedious method of moving.
By this time the afternoon was well advanced, and it looked as though itwould be fully dark before Tim could regain the ground he had lost. Nowand then he peered over the top of the deer to see whether he couldpossibly catch sight of his acquaintances, but they whisked from coverto cover so dexterously that he had not the encouragement even to hopefor success, and so he did not fire.
But a new fear took possession of the fugitive. If they were Indians, itwas to be expected that they had canoes somewhere, and if they werespeedily found, he would as speedily be overhauled.
"In which case Tim O'Rooney will lose his daar, and be the same towkenlose himself, and the boys won't get their dinner."
He squinted at the sun, now low in the sky, and quickly asked himself:
"If a man doesn't git his dinner, and ates half-way atween noon andmidnight, is it his dinner or supper? But that is a mighty question, isthe same."
He evidently concluded it was too vast for him to decide, for hespeedily dismissed it and turned his attention to that which more nearlyconcerned him. Still toiling with his hand, much in the same manner thata child would dabble in the water, he kept up the tardy movement of thecanoe until he began to grow fearless again, and he took his paddle oncemore.
Now, when it was almost too late, he found that he could use it withoutdanger to himself. By bending his body forward, the deer protected himand he could labor with impunity.
"Tim O'Rooney, I fears yez are lacking in the iliments which go to makeup a mon of sense. Why didn't yez think of this when it would have doneyez more good?"
When he was yet within a few yards of shore, he looked back and was nota little frightened to see that the savages had launched a canoe andwere coming across the river with the speed of the swallow.
"Whisht now! but that is onexpected," said he, as he redoubled his ownexertions. Observing that his pursuers were rapidly gaining, he suddenlyrecalled an artifice that he had seen practiced during his experience inthe mines years before. Catching up his rifle, he aimed it at theadvancing Indians.
Quick as a flash they ducked their heads and held up the two paddlesthey were using as a protection against the expected bullet. But it wasnot Tim's purpose to fire. He knew better than to do that, for ere hecould have reloaded they would have been upon him.
The minute they stooped he lowered his gun and caught up his paddle andused it furiously. In this he was imitated by the Indians, whosesuperior skill sent their frail vessel forward with such velocity thatit looked as if they would reach the shore but a short distance behindhim.
Again he raised his gun, and as before they attempted to screenthemselves from danger, while the next impulse of his paddle sent hiscanoe high up the bank, and he sprung out and plunged into the woods.
Tim O'Rooney had no thought of the particular manner in which he was toeffect his escape. His one desire was to get away from them. Theprobabilities are that, beyond all doubt, he would have been speedilyovertaken and slain but for one of those singular occurrences which donot happen to a man more than once in a life-time, and which seem toshow unmistakably that Providence often interferes directly in favor ofthe innocent and distressed.
He had run perhaps a couple of hundred yards, or thereabouts, when apeculiar whoop from his pursuers announced that they had landed and werenow coming speedily behind him. He knew that he had no chance inrunning, and was looking about him for some place in which to takeshelter, when a furious growl startled him and he found himself within adozen feet from enormous grizzly bear. This quadruped seemed anxious fora fight, for he came straight at the fugitive, who might certainly beexcused for being dazed at the combination of dangers by which he wassurrounded.
That of the grizzly bear was the greatest; for with mouth open and hisred tongue lolling out he came fiercely at him. His gait was awkward andshambling, but he managed to get over the ground very rapidly. Indeed,the danger was so imminent that Tim, seeing there was no choice, raisedhis gun and fired at the monster.
The bullet struck him near the head, but it did not kill him, nor did itcause him to fall, but it bewildered him, and he rose on his hind feetand clawed the air as if the bullet was a splinter and he was seeking topluck it from his flesh.
This bewilderment was the means of Tim being saved. Before the animalhad entirely recovered, he had darted out of sight, and when the Indianscame up the bear was just in "fighting trim," and immediately made atthem. Consequently they were compelled to give over all thoughts of theflying hunter and attend to their own personal safety. What the finalresult was Tim never learned, and we cannot speak with certainty.