The Mohegan Maiden — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 THE MOHEGAN MAIDEN. | upon the earth, and slept. The others followed his example, — and soon no sound, save the heavy breathing of the sleepers, | was heard. | The faint streaks of early dawn had begun to penetrate the forest, when the sleepers awoke. “ Where is our companion ?” asked Archibald, who looked — in vain for the third person. “Surely he was here, and this — is where he was lying” | But no stranger was there now. They waited in the vicin-— ity nearly an hour, trusting he might return, and scoured the neighboring forests to find some traces of him. All to no purpose. If their yesterday’s experience had been a reality, he had now vanished like a shadow. , Filled with wonder, surprise, and foreboding, they took their way to Hadley, which they reached about noon. There the strange story they related was variously received, though the majority of persons considered the appearance and disappearance of the unknown as most special proof of his supernatural nature. Even Archibald, strong as had been his faith, began to feel doubts as to the real nature of his late companion. CHAPTER Vv. IN THE WILDS. ANOTHER week passed without fresh adventure. June had almost flown, and though great fears had at one time been en- tertained of a second visit from the Indians, they had not thus far shown their faces again. As is generally the case, present safety brought a sense of security, and little danger was now felt. Nothing more had been seen or heard, in any reliable man- ner, of the mysterious man who had so signally befriended them, and who had, in turn, been assisted by Archibald Turner. So unaccountable was his appearance and disappearance, that the belief was every day gaining ground, that he was a comicbooks.con