His thoughts reverted to the
canoe, and he concocted a plan by which he believed it possible to
get possession of his little craft again. Once on board it, by one
vigorous shove he fancied he might push it within the cover of the
rice-plants, where he would be in reasonable safety against the
bullets of the savages. Could he only get the canoe on the outer
side of the narrow belt of the plant, he should deem himself safe!
Having arranged his course in his own mind, le Bourdon now beckoned
to Crowsfeather to draw near, at the same time inviting the whole
party to approach within a few feet of the spot where he himself
stood. The bee-hunter had brought with him from the boat a fragment
of the larger end of a cane fishing-rod, which he used as a sort of
wand. Its size was respectable, and its length about eight feet.
With this wand he pointed out the different objects he named, and it
answered the very important purpose of enabling him to make certain
small changes in the formation of the ground, that were of the
greatest service to him, without permitting curious eyes to come so
near as to detect his artifices.
"Now open your ears, Crowsfeather; and you, Cloud; and all of you,
young braves," commenced the bee-hunter, solemnly, and with a
steadiness that was admirable; "yes, open wide your ears.
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