He saw himself almost encompassed; he heard the bullets whistling about him, and perceived at a glance that the chances of his escape were a thousand to one against him.

With a rapid sweep of his eye he marked the locality.
It also was all against him.

There was a shoreless lake, abrupt and deep to the very edge, except a slip at the opposite side, lying at his feet.
It was oblong, but at each end of it there was nothing like a pass for at least two or three miles.

If he could swim across this he knew that he was safe, and that he could do so he felt certain, provided he escaped the bullets and the dogs of the pursuers.

At all events he dashed down and plunged in, accompanied by his faithful attendants.