[Illustration: "WHAT IN BLAZES ARE YOU AIMING AT?"--Page 168. ]

 THE WILDERNESS FUGITIVES BY EDWARD S. ELLIS

 AUTHOR OF "DEERFOOT" SERIES, "LOG CABIN" SERIES, "BOY PIONEER" SERIES, ETC. 

 ILLUSTRATED

 THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. , PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, TORONTO. 

 COPYRIGHTED 1893 BY THE PRICE-McGILL CO. 

 CONTENTS. 

 CHAP. PAGE. 

 I--Alone and Together, 7 II--Soft and Low, 15 III--Eavesdropping, 22 IV--The Course of True Love, 30 V--A Light Ahead, 37 VI--The Fragments of the Feast, 44 VII--The Report of a Gun, 51 VIII--Mr. Isaac Perkins, 59 IX--Border Bravery, 67 X--On the River, 75 XI--An Unfavorable Omen, 83 XII--Forced Backward, 91 XIII--New Peril, 100 XIV--Diamond Cut Diamond, 107 XV--A Delicate and Dangerous Task, 114 XVI--Iroquois Against Iroquois, 121 XVII--At Last!, 128 XVIII--The Southeastern Shore, 136 XIX--The Mohawk Objects, 143 XX--The Longest Way Home, 152 XXI--A Curious Discovery, 159 XXII--Another Fugitive, 166 XXIII--Doubt and Perplexity, 174 XXIV--The New Guide, 182 XXV--The Hiding-place, 189 XXVI--Curious Proceedings, 196 XXVII--What Does it all Mean? 203 XXVIII--Up and Doing, 210 XXIX--A Startling Check, 217 XXX--A Merited Fate, 227 XXXI--The Mohawk Explains, 234 XXXII--The Fatal Tree, 242 XXXIII--Captive and Captors, 249

THE WILDERNESS FUGITIVES. 

CHAPTER I. 

ALONE AND TOGETHER. 

The reader will recall that at the close of The River Fugitives thenarrative left our friends in a situation, apparently, of safety; andthe belief, on the part of Jo Minturn, his sister Rosa and Ned Clinton, was strong that, in their flight from the dreadful scenes of the Wyomingmassacre of July, 1778, they had left all dangers behind. They wereconfident that, under the guidance of the matchless Mohawk, Lena-Wingo(temporarily absent in quest of food), the road to security was beset byno perils worth the mention. 

But, as has also been intimated, they were altogether wrong in thisbelief. Brother and sister and Ned Clinton were seated near each otheron a fallen tree, and it was not yet fully dark when the soft tread of amoccasin was heard on the leaves, and they saw the tall, slim figure ofthe Mohawk come forth like some spirit of the forest to ask them theirbusiness in thus invading his domains. The supposition was so generalthat he had gone in quest of food, that a common instinct led them tolook to see whether he brought anything of that nature with him. Therewas enough light left to show that he carried nothing but his gun. 

"Well, Jack, " said Ned, "we thought you had gone out foraging, but ifyou did, you didn't make much success of it. "

"Lena-Wingo didn't hunt eat--he hunt something more. "

"Well, did he find it?" asked Rosa, who was more daring in her questionsthan the others thought it prudent to be. 

"Yes--he find him. "

"Why don't you bring him here, then, that we may see him?"

"He gone, " was the direct but rather unsatisfactory answer, for therewas no telling to what he referred. 

Rosa was on the point of questioning him further, when it struck herthat if he desired them to know what he had been doing he would tellthem only when he chose. And so she forbore. 

"I hope the result was pleasing to you, " ventured Ned Clinton, on whatseemed forbidden ground. 

"When Lena-Wingo look for Iroquois in canoe, he take knife along. "

As this remark was clearly intended in the light of a joke, all felt theduty of laughing at it, although the mirthful inclination was not verytremendous, coming from such a grim source. 

"Jo, " added the redskin, after waiting for the applause to wear itselfout, "want to see you. "

The young man thus appealed to sprang to his feet, and placed himselfbeside the red scout, wondering what he could have to say that he shouldkeep from the rest. Ned and Rosa saw them talking together for a minuteor two, when they turned, as if to walk deeper into the woods. At thatmoment, Jo looked around and called to them in a cautious voice, justloud enough to be heard:

"We won't be back for some time. "

This was a curious proceeding, indeed; but there was no use ofprotesting against it. The Mohawk had a way of doing as he pleased aboutsuch matters, and it was useless to interfere. When they had been goneseveral minutes, it struck Ned that, as they would not be back forawhile, he was given a chance to converse with Rosa, such as had notbeen his since the invasion of the Wyoming valley. 

The consciousness came upon him so suddenly that he was not a littleconfused by the problem of how he was to improve the opportunity. True, he had spent many hours in the company of the beautiful girl, but itseemed to him that never had he felt as he did then. He was sure thatshe must be aware of the unutterably tender affection he held towardher--a feeling that had grown within the last few days, until it tookpossession of his being. Not until the life of Rosa Minturn was placedin peril did he comprehend how much he loved her. When there was reasonto fear she was in the hands of the Iroquois or the Tory colonel, andthat he might never see her more, then it was that it seemed his heartmust break from grief alone. And when, a short time after, she was foundwithout a hair of her head injured, his joy was correspondinglygreat--so great, indeed, that he was sure all noticed it, even Rosaherself. 

The couple were seated upon a fallen tree, there being some two or threefeet of space between them. The twilight, which was fairly upon forestand stream, threw the faces of both in shadow, and Ned was glad of it. If there was one thing in the world of which he was absolutely certain, it was that he was never so ill at ease as he was at that moment, itfollowing, as a matter of course, that Rosa could not but be aware ofit, and that she looked upon him with pity and contempt. She waswonderfully kind, it seemed to him, and so far as he could judge, showedno consciousness of the pitiful exhibition he was making of himself. 

"When we once arrive at Wilkesbarre, and you are safe from the Indiansand Tories, I suppose Jack will hasten back to your parents with thetidings, for it will be a great relief to them. "

"He hasn't said anything to me about it, but it will be just like him, for he is never content with anything except danger and action. "

"It would have gone hard with you if you had had any one besides him tolead you through the woods. "

"None is so capable as he when he chooses to exert himself; but I thinkhe has been a little careless. There was no need of his being caught ashe was in that house when you went to his rescue. "

Although it was too dark for it to be seen, yet a crimson flushoverspread the face of the young scout again at receiving such acompliment from those fair lips. He checked the protest that rose to hisown with the remembrance of the reproof of Jo, fearing that he mightappear to assume a modesty that he did not feel. 

"Where one has done so much for us as the Mohawk, it would be ungratefulnot to give him what assistance I could. I was as much pleased as was hethat I was able to divert the attention of the Iroquois until he found achance to get away. But, Rosa, you know as well as I that they could nothave held him there, for he has been in many a worse situation thanthat. "

"That may all be true, Edward, but you do wrong to throw aside all thecredit, as you seem anxious to do. You acted bravely, and you know it. Jo has told me about it, and he said more than that, too!"

"I don't know what he could say more than that, " said young Clinton insurprise. 

"He told me that you had a dreadful time in getting away from thebattle. You had to swim the river out to Monacacy island, and theIndians followed you, and came near capturing both. You acted verybravely again, as any one who knows you might have been sure you would, and helped him very much, indeed. I thank you for that, Edward. "

"I don't want to appear in the light of disputant of all that Jo says, but he gives me more credit in that matter than belongs to me. It wasall we could do, and more than appeared possible, to take care ofourselves--each of us alone, without thinking of the other. He surelyhelped me as much as I helped him. "

"Well, I shall have to wait till I hear what he has to say about that, "responded Rosa, with that persistency so charming in a beautiful womanwhen it is in favor of him with whom she is holding her argument. 

The certainty that he possessed the good opinion of this girl, in spiteof his own sense of awkwardness and embarrassment, caused more than onethrill of delight to pass through the young hero as he listened to thewords--a thousand times more delightful--coming from such lips as hers. 

"I am pleased beyond measure, " he said, gathering courage from herutterances, and the darkness that now veiled their faces from eachother, "to find that I have earned your good opinion, and all that Iask is that I may continue to deserve it. "

"Why, of course you will, " she was prompt to reply. "What could you doto make any one respect you less?"

"Well, I might do a great many things that I hope I won't do, " helaughed. "Not to mention my own principles, the fear of displeasing youwould be enough at any time--"

"'Sh!" interrupted Rosa, in a frightened whisper. "I am sure I heardsome one just then behind us. "

CHAPTER II. 

SOFT AND LOW. 

At the mention of suspected danger, Clinton sprang up and moved in thedirection whence he supposed it came, though he heard nothing of ithimself. It was so dark that he could see but a little way in the woods. After stealing a few paces, rifle in hand, he paused and listened, thinking that if any enemies were at hand, they would be sure to betraythemselves by attempting to advance. But the stillness remainedunbroken, and he suspected that Rosa had been mistaken. Even though heknew not where Jo and the Mohawk were just then, he was sure that theywere at no great distance, and the redskin was certain to discover theapproach of any foe. When five or ten minutes passed he turned about andrejoined his fair friend. 

"You must have been in error, " said he. 

"I _was_ mistaken, " she said, with a laugh; "and I was on the point ofcalling and telling you what it was. "

"Well, what was it?"

"Lena-Wingo; he was here a minute ago, and said he had come to see ifall was right, after which he went back to where Jo is waiting for him. "

"How long before they will be here again?"

"Not very long, " said Rosa. "He told me they were not quite ready tostart, but would be shortly; he made a little noise when he was coming, so as to let us know he was near!"

"And I didn't hear him. If it hadn't been for you, he would have comeright upon us. "

Ned sat down on the fallen tree beside Rosa. Somehow or other, the spacebetween the two was reduced almost to no space at all. It may have beenthat the young scout was so absent-minded, that he forgot about therespectable gap that existed a short time before. But be that as it may, Rosa herself was so absent-minded, also, that she forgot to remind himof it. So they sat, so near that they could afford to understand eachother without speaking above a whisper. 

Having resumed his seat, Ned sat a while trying to think of somethingappropriate to say, but it seemed that all his ideas were scattered tothe winds. When that interruption broke in upon them, he flatteredhimself that he was getting along very well--that is, for him--butnow--why, he was never so put to it in all his life. If the innocentcause of all this misery had not come to his relief, there is no tellinghow long the oppressive silence would have lasted. But Rosa wasmerciful, or else she became tired of waiting. 

"Edward, " said she, in that low, winning voice that was hers alone, "when Colonel Butler and his Tories and Indians leave the valley, whatare you going to do?"

"Whatever seems the best for our country. I cannot exactly say what thatwill be, but I have thought I would join the Continental Army underWashington. I so love and revere that great man, that I can fight betterif near him, where I can see his face and hear his voice now and then. "

"I have often thought the same thing myself, but I have never seen him. Lena-Wingo told me that he has spoken to him many times, and he looksupon him as if he were some one sent by the Great Spirit to save ourcountry. "

"He means Heaven when he speaks of the Great Spirit, and he is right;for he is the man of all others to carry the colonies to theirindependence. "

"Have you ever seen Washington?"

"No. That great pleasure is before me. But I have talked with many whohave, and they have raised my eagerness to the highest point. But, " headded, more thoughtfully, "it would not be right for me to go to hisarmy and enlist just to fight under him, when I may be needed somewhereelse!"

"You cannot go anywhere that you will not be needed, " said Rosa, in thesame thoughtful voice. "There are too many Tories and Britons, and toofew patriots, in this country. If ever I wished that I was a man it isnow, that I might shoulder a musket, and help fight the battles of mycountry. "

"That you cannot do, of course, but you can encourage all who are athome and able to bear a hand to do so; if I were the greatest cowardthat ever lived, your words would drive me into the army, for it wouldtake more courage to brave them than to face the cannon's mouth, orcross bayonets with the British regulars. "

"You seem to place great value on my counsel, Edward. "

"So I do; I would rather die than displease you in anything. "

These fervent words were uttered in a low, earnest tone, that Ned wouldnot have dared to use a few minutes before, when he first took his seatso close to the idol of his heart. As was perhaps natural, it was thegirl who seemed never to lose her self-command, and who parried everyattempt to broach the subject that was evidently clamoring for utterancein the heart of the youth. 

"Well, if you value my opinion so highly, " she answered, in thathalf-frivolous and half-serious tone that was especially tantalizing toone of his ardent temperament, "I shall be very careful of the advice Igive. "

"You couldn't advise me to do anything except that which is best formyself and country. "

"I can reply as you did a moment ago--that I could easily do so, but Ihave no intention of trying it. Jo tells me that you and he are to gotogether?"

"Of course we shall. We have been friends all our lives, and we may aswell stick together in the army. "

"I am glad to hear that, for it has many advantages--but why talk ofthose things now?"

The girl looked around in the darkness, as if she wondered at thecontinued absence of Lena-Wingo and her brother. 

"I am half tempted to lose my patience with Jack!" she said, after aminute of waiting and listening. "He doesn't seem to be in a hurry atall; we ought to have been in Wilkesbarre before daylight this morning, and here it is dark again, and there is no telling when he will be readyto start. "

"I have no fear of the Mohawk, " replied Ned, who thought they might finda much more interesting subject to talk about. "He will be here in duetime, and is sure to do his part in whatever needs to be done. I thinkhe has gone in search of that supply of food he was talking about awhile ago. When he gets it he will bring us a good supper, which willnot come amiss to any of us, although I should have preferred to eat itin Wilkesbarre. "

"We may as well content ourselves here until Jack is ready, " said Ned, keeping his seat as close to Rosa as he conveniently could. "Until then, remember that I am here, ready to defend you with my life. "

"I know you would, Edward, " she responded in a softer, tenderer voicethan the last few words had been spoken. "But I do not want to see theoccasion come. "

"I should welcome it, Rosa, to prove my devotion to you. "

"I need no proof, " she answered, speaking so low that he barely caughtthe words. 

"How happy your words have made me! Hello! here comes some one at last!"

CHAPTER III. 

EAVESDROPPING. 

Both supposed that they heard the footsteps of Lena-Wingo and JoMinturn; but a habit taught by the hard experience of the last few dayscaused them to cease speaking and to listen. Only a second was needed totell them that strangers were approaching them, although, fortunatelythey were not heading in a direct line for the place where the loverswere sitting. Had it been otherwise, it is hard to see how they couldhave escaped observation. The men were issuing from the wood and makingfor the shore of the river, aiming at a point a few yards above whereNed and Rosa were stationed. They were walking at a leisurely gait, evidently with no suspicion that any white persons were within earshot. Judging from the sound of feet upon the leaves, a half dozen personswere proceeding without any caution at all, talking as freely as iftogether at their own homes. 

The feelings of Rosa Minturn, when she recognized the voice of the Torycolonel, Butler, may be imagined. He was accompanied by another whiteman, probably one of his officers, and several Indians, and he wastalking more freely. In the stillness of the summer night, while theywere so close at hand, it was as easy to distinguish every word utteredas if the speech was intended for the ears of the eavesdroppers. 

"We have heard so much of the smartness of that Mohawk scout that Ibegan to think there was something in him, " said the principal member ofthe party, Rosa identifying him as the detested Butler. "But I havenever seen anything myself that showed up very well on his part. Here heis on this side of the Susquehanna, when he ought to have been atWilkesbarre before daylight this morning. "

"We ought to have been there before that time, even, " replied hiscompanion. "I am sure we could have played the deuce with that place, aconfounded sight better than with Wyoming, for they were so scared thatthey were on the run and that's just the time to strike, you know, colonel. "

"Yes; we might have done something if we had gone over at once, but itwas some time before we learned what was going on. "

"I hear they are not much better yet, and it seems to me that it is nottoo late to slip our men across and clean 'em out. "

But Colonel Butler was too wily to consent to any such project, althoughthere was reason to believe that it might have succeeded, even thoughdeferred till that rather late hour. 

"It isn't worth our while. There's only one more of the rebels that Iwant to lay hands on. Let me get that one and the rest may go. "

"I think I know who it is, colonel. "

"No doubt you do, " was the prompt reply. "Any one who has heard me speakwithin the last twenty-four hours has found it out. I tell you, captain, that you don't often see as pretty a rebel as that young Minturn. Sheslipped off last night because she found I admired her so much that Icouldn't keep my eyes from her. "

"You're right there, colonel, when you speak of her beauty, for I havenever seen one that could surpass her; I wonder that she don't turn theheads of all she meets. Perhaps she does, though, and, if you hadn'tforeclosed there, I would be tempted to make a claim myself. "

"It will be dangerous for any man to interfere with me. "

The individual whom he addressed as a captain was heard to laugh at thewords of his superior officer, and he replied:

"I am sure there is no fear of my trying to intrude myself in thatdirection, for I am opposed to the thing on principle. "

"I am aware of that, " replied the colonel, the party having halted onthe edge of the river, as if awaiting the coming of some one. "Of courseI had no reference to _you_ when I spoke, but I feel especially angrytoward Red Jack, or Lena-Wingo, and I will give a good deal for hisscalp. He has played the mischief with our plans more than once, andnow, when everything is going along just as I want it to, he comes inand walks off with the prize. "

"But don't you suppose he was set up to do it?"

"Certainly; and Colonel Denison was the man who put it into his head. Ican see it all now, though I didn't suspect it at the time. "

"Why don't you shoot him?"

"I was mad enough to do that; and I believe that if I had met him lastnight, after the Mohawk escaped so narrowly being cut through by mysword, I would have done it. But I have thought the matter over to-day, and made up my mind that it won't pay. There have already been somethings about this Wyoming business that will make trouble. The Indiansought to have killed every rebel that wasn't shot down in battle; butthey let so many get away that they will tell all sorts of stories aboutus, and when they get to England, they may interfere with some littleplans of my own. "[A]

"Well, if you catch the bird that flew away, you can afford to forgivethe well-intended schemes; for when she is once in your hands, what careyou for others? You tell me, colonel, that the Mohawk did not reachWilkesbarre with her to-day?"

"No. I had word from there at sunset, and they had not been seenanywhere in the neighborhood; and, as the Mohawk was observed on thisside of the stream near noon to-day, he must still be here. "

"It has been dark quite awhile, and he may have slipped across since thesun went down. "

"He may, it is true, but it is hardly likely, for the redskins, as arule, don't like to do their work until the latter part of the night. People are too apt to be wide awake in the earlier portion of theevening; and I am quite sure Red Jack will wait till beyond midnightbefore he makes a move in the business. "

"The night promises to be dark, so that when he undertakes to paddle tothe other shore, he will be pretty apt to do it. "

"It isn't likely we could hinder him, if he was on the watch, as Isuppose he will be, " growled Butler, reluctant to concede to the redskinthe skill and prowess that he knew properly belonged to him. "But I havefigured on the supposition that he will get safely across with the girl, so it won't make much difference whether he does set foot on the othershore or not. If he _does_ get there, though, he will find there is morethan one lion in the path between him and Wilkesbarre. I have some ofthe best runners and scouts of the Iroquois on the hunt for the couple, and it is scarcely possible that they can fail. I go across myself, soas to be ready to take charge of matters the minute a competent guidinghand is needed. "

"And you want me to go with you?"

"You may as well, for matters are dull behind us, and are likely to stayso for the few days that we shall yet remain. Come along with us, Captain Bagley, and you will be likely to see some sport before you getback. "

"That reminds me, " said the officer, whose name was just spoken, "that Iheard somewhere from some one that this pretty rebel has an ardentadmirer and lover in the person of a young soldier of Denison's forces, and that he and a brother of the girl fought like the very deuce in thebattle--"

"And was killed?" struck in the Tory, with an eagerness that showed howintense was his hate for the one who dared to love with a pure and holyaffection her whom he had selected as the object of his sinfuladmiration. 

"I am sorry to say I cannot give you that information, " said thecaptain, with a half-laugh at the colonel's eagerness. "Both young men, I have been told, managed to get through the battle without a scratch, and are probably somewhere in the valley at this moment--perhaps tryingto help the young lady to get to Wilkesbarre. "

Colonel Butler broke in with an imprecation, as he recalled theaccounts he had received of the affair at the settler's house that sameday, and which left no doubt in his mind that the two young rebelsreferred to were acting in concert with the Mohawk scout, Lena-Wingo. 

[Footnote A: After the Revolution, Colonel Butler tried hard to obtainthe honor of knighthood from the King of Great Britain, but failed. ]

CHAPTER IV. 

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE. 

Rosa and Ned, without wish or intention on their part, were obtainingsome very interesting information from the Tory leader; and, as the waywas not clear as to a safe method of extricating themselves from theposition of eavesdroppers, they could do nothing more than hold theirpeace and allow the entertainment to continue. 

The Tory was enraged by the discovery that Rosa was the beloved ofanother, who was probably doing all he could at that moment to assist inplacing her beyond his reach, and to raise himself in her affection bysuch a display of devotion. 

"When are you going to cross over?" inquired his companion. 

"Right away--we have waited too long already. The evening is well along, and we're losing time. "

The sounds which succeeded showed that the party were moving nearer theriver shore, having been standing a few feet off while holding theconversation. Back in the darkness of the wood, Rosa and Ned wereinvisible, while they were able to catch the outlines of the movingfigures when thrown against the dim sky beyond. It was plain that theparty meant to use the canoe in which the girl had spent a portion ofthe afternoon, and which, it was intended, should serve as a vehicle tocarry the whites to the other side. 

The redmen were heard placing the boat in position, and the splash ofthe paddle was noticed as all took their places, and the oarsman assumedhis duty of guiding the craft, burdened to its utmost capacity, acrossthe Susquehanna. Colonel Butler, who had been so talkative a few minutesbefore, and also accommodating enough to reveal his purposes to thosemost concerned, seemed to have gone to the other extreme, for nothingmore was heard from him. Captain Bagley took upon himself the task ofdirecting the movements of the others, whenever they needed direction. The canoe, with its occupants, left the shore and was impelled into theSusquehanna, heading for the other bank, invisible in the gloom of thenight. Before the craft had vanished, however, Ned caught sight of acouple of figures on the bank immediately in front of where he wasstanding with Rosa. 

"'Sh!" she whispered, detecting the fact at the same instant; "they haveleft a couple behind. "

At this instant one of the forms turned and advanced toward them, thedistance being so short that he had taken but a few steps when hearrived. 

"Did you see them?" he asked, when he was at their side. 

"See them? Of course we did, " replied Rosa, recognizing her brother, "and we heard them, too. They've been standing and talking togetherright here, close enough for us to hear every word they said. "

"Well, what did they say?"

"It would be hard to tell what they didn't say, " replied Rosa, withsomething of her old spirit of mischief. "Colonel Butler is very sweeton some young rebel, which I am afraid is about my age, and looks verymuch like me. He has gone across the river to catch me before I canreach Wilkesbarre, but I don't see why he need be in a hurry, for Idon't think we'll see that place within a couple of weeks, unlessLena-Wingo gets in more of a hurry than he is now. "

This "satirical" remark was intended for the ears of the Mohawk, who hadapproached during the last few seconds, and who did not lose a syllable;but it would have taken more bitter words than ever fell from thosesweet lips to stir any resentful feelings in his dusky breast. 

"Talk much, " was the only response he made, thereby uttering a truthwhich not even the young lady herself would deny. 

"What else did he say?" asked Jo, referring to Colonel Butler. 

"Well, the substance of it all was that he had sent a lot of Iroquoisacross the river to cut us off before we can reach Wilkesbarre, and hehas no doubt they will succeed. He goes over himself, so as to be onhand, I believe, to take charge of me--that is, when _they catch me_. "

"Is that all?"

"Do you think of anything more?" asked Rosa, addressing Ned. 

"You have given all that was said--that is, all that is worth telling, "answered the young man, into whose brain were burned some utteranceswhich had not been referred to by his fair companion. 

"If there is anything else, " persisted Jo, "why, let's have it; forthough it may seem trifling to you, it may be of importance when weighedby the Mohawk. Out with all you remember!"

"I have nothing more to tell, " replied Ned, feeling the situationbecoming embarrassing. 

"I forgot something else, " added the girl, in a light manner, that sentthe shivers down the back of young Minturn, for his instinct told himwhat was coming. "You can't ask me to tell you all the bad words ColonelButler used. "

"Not unless you would like to go over them, but let me know what it wasthat _caused_ him to speak in that style?"

"Oh! but he had good cause for it all, for that wicked Captain Bagleytold him there was a young gentleman somewhere that thought all theworld of me, and of whom I thought all the world, and the idea that Iliked anybody else besides him was what made him so angry. I believe youhave _all_ now. "

"Yes, I believe I have, " replied Jo, with a low laugh. "Jack and I werestanding almost as close to them as were you and Ned, and we heard theirconversation. "

If the pretty sister had possessed a parasol, she would have made herbrother's head feel the weight thereof. All this was pure jest thatseemed to intrude itself by a law of physiology into the heartsoppressed so long by grief, dread and anxiety. But there was one heartupon which the airy words fell with a weight of which the speakers neverdreamed. To Ned Clinton there was something cruel in this reference tohis affection for Rosa. He considered it a sacred secret--perhaps dimlysuspected now by Rosa herself--too sacred, indeed, to be spoken of injest by others. 

He knew that his friends meant no unkindness, but it touched himscarcely the less for all that. He and Rosa had passed a few deep, earnest words, bearing upon that dream of the future which he cherishedso fondly, and not the words merely, but the tones, the manner and theoccasion gave them a significance which was of the profoundest import tohim; and now to hear the maiden refer to them as she did pained him. Wasit, then, all a jest to her? Did she regard the picture he had faintlylimned as one of those unsubstantial dreams which the young andambitious are so fond of drawing, and which can never be realized? Didshe look upon him merely as a friend--a dear one, perhaps, whom she hadknown and liked from their early childhood, because they had beenschoolmates, and he and her brother were friends?

In short, was it not evidence that she merely _liked_, but felt nothingat all of _love_--that great over-mastering emotion that pervaded andswayed his whole nature?

CHAPTER V. 

A LIGHT AHEAD. 

On the eve of starting for their destination they were confronted by apractical difficulty, necessary to surmount before the journey could bemade. Their enemies had coolly appropriated the boat in which they hadintended to cross the river, and, another must be found for the use ofthe fugitives. Ordinarily, this would have been a small matter, but, coming as it did, it presented a difficulty not easily surmounted. Wherewas the canoe to be secured? Lena-Wingo was the one to whom the otherslooked to solve the problem, and he undertook it without delay. 

"Stay here, " said he. "Lena-Wingo find canoe. "

"If you can manage to get back before to-morrow night, " put in Rosa, "itmay save us a deal of valuable time. "

"Lena-Wingo come back soon as can--girl don't talk much. "

"I am glad to hear you speak so encouragingly, " she responded, as hemoved off and instantly vanished in the deep gloom of the night. 

Left to themselves, the three had little to do but to wait and hope thattheir dusky friend would make good the promise of returning as soon aspossible. 

"It is one of those things that could not be discounted beforehand, "said Jo Minturn, feeling that his sister was becoming unjustlyimpatient. "For no one could have dreamed that they would step up at themoment we were ready to start, and run off with the boat. "

"They must have known nothing about Rosa having occupied it thisafternoon, " remarked Ned Clinton, glad of the chance of saying somethingthat would ward off any approach to the matter that had caused him somuch pain. "Their actions showed they did not suspect what had takenplace while they were gone. "

"Yes; some of them must have taken that boat to the place this forenoonor early in the afternoon, with the purpose of using it to carry thecolonel to the other shore. "

"Suppose Lena-Wingo doesn't find another canoe?" asked Rosa, who feltanything but comfortable over the absence of the tried and trustyscout. 

"It may take him longer than he wants, but he will succeed, you may besure of that. "

"I should like to know why you and he went off in that mysteriousfashion a short time ago?" continued the girl, addressing her brother. "It must have been a very important errand, judging from the way youmanaged it. "

"Well, I think it was important, for it was to find something to eat, and I notice you are pretty sure to be interested in anything of thatnature. "

"Well, did you get any food?"

"We got on the track of some when Colonel Butler appeared with hisIroquois, and we had to take a look after them. "

"So you didn't find any, after all, " she repeated. "It is about what Iexpected when you went away. "

"Don't be too quick to judge us, " replied the brother, in a voice thatwas meant to signify a deal more than the mere words. "You'll besurprised before long. "

"The only thing to surprise me will be to see something like haste usedin getting over the river to Wilkesbarre. I suspect that Lena-Wingo willwait till daylight before making the start, even if he finds a canoe, onthe ground that we ought to have something to eat before starting. "

A few minutes after, while the two were in an earnest discussion, theMohawk appeared among them, and said, in his sententious manner:

"Come with me--walk still--make no noise. "

The fugitives had been in enough danger to render this admonitionunnecessary, but it was a warning which the Mohawk seemed to considertimely on all occasions, for he was much addicted to using it. It was sodark in the gloom of the forest that it was a matter of no smalldifficulty for the little party to keep together. 

"Jo, you had better take my hand on one side, and you, Edward, on theother, " said Rosa, "it is hard work to get along without help. "

The suggestion was adopted without much perceptible increase of speed, as it still was necessary to feel their way with great caution toprevent collisions with trunks and limbs. But the bliss of Ned Clinton;who shall tell it? He forgot all the misery of a short time before whenthe world seemed dismal and full of despair, and was only conscious ofthe sweet fact that he held the hand of Rosa Minturn in his own! At thefirst touch it seemed that a thrill like the flash of the subtlemagnetic current passed through him, and he would not have cared if thejourney continued for half a dozen miles, so long as this arrangementlasted. 

The admonition of the red scout was not forgotten, and when they spokeit was in whispers, while frequent pauses were made, in answer to thefaintest possible "'Sh!" of Lena-Wingo, who was conducting matters withhis proverbial caution. Minturn saw something suggestive in the factthat their guide was leading them away from instead of toward the river, for the depths of the wood was not the place to look for the canoe, ofwhich they stood in so much need just then. He suspected there wasanother reason, which would soon become apparent. Ned might have noticedthe same fact and made inquiry about it, had he been capable ofappreciating anything besides the delight of holding the hand of hisbeloved. That was happiness enough to last him at least for the time inwhich the journey continued, and he cared very little whither theirguide led them, so long as he did not separate him from Rosa. 

Where all was shrouded in such darkness, neither of the fugitives, withthe exception of the Mohawk, was able to keep anything like a knowledgeof the precise course which they were following. The ground wasfamiliar to all, and indeed there was not one who had not been over itso frequently that he or she would have identified it in the daytime. But when all was indistinguishable, in the darkness of the night, theycould only trust to the skill of the dusky guide, who seemed able at anytime to pick his way with unerring accuracy through the tracklessforest. 

In the earlier portion of the evening there was no moon, but afterstarting a faint one was observed in the sky, and enough of its rayspenetrated the branches overhead to afford considerable assistance tothe three who were threading their way as best they could in the trackof the Mohawk. A few minutes after the moon was noticed, all werestartled by hearing the discharge of a gun at no great distance on theirleft--that is, away from the river. They paused and listened, expectingsomething to follow that would explain what the report meant. But thestillness remained as profound as that of the grave, the night being soquiet that there was scarcely a rustle among the branches overhead, while not even the soft flow of the river reached their ears. 

The pause was only a few minutes in length, when the cautious journeywas resumed, still heading some little distance away from the streamwhich they were so anxious to cross. Rosa had observed this fact before, but she felt that it was hardly the thing to criticise the Mohawk whenhe was at work; but she was becoming impatient, and might have saidsomething in the way of protest, but for the discovery that a brightlight was shining ahead of them, which light undoubtedly meant somethingof interest to them all. 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE FRAGMENTS OF THE FEAST. 

The instant the light was detected, the attention of all the fugitivesbecame centered upon it, for it was plain they were journeying in adirect line toward it, and unless a speedy turn to the right or left wasmade, the camp fire, as it appeared to be, would soon be reached. Viewedas they neared it, it seemed to be simply a fire, and nothing more, there being so many intervening trees and undergrowth, that nothingexcept the light itself was noticeable. But, as a rule, wherever therewas a camp fire there were those who kindled it, and it struck Rosa thatthe Mohawk was reckless in advancing upon it; but she held her peace, certain he would commit no blunder. 

The little party continued advancing steadily until within less than ahundred yards, when, as if by a common instinct, they halted, with theireyes bent inquiringly upon the fire. It was more plainly visible thanbefore, and was seen to be burning brightly, showing that if no personswere near it, they had been absent but a short time. 

"Stay here--I go look--make no noise. "

With these words, Lena-Wingo moved toward the blaze, and his tall, darkfigure was seen more than once as in its stealthy advance it camebetween them and the flames. But, as it neared them, he made a turnwhich shut him from sight until a short distance away on his return. TheMohawk had been absent but a brief time, and when he rejoined them hesaid:

"Come 'long--walk fast--talk if want to. "

This seemed curious advice, but it was accepted, and the fugitives keptup a constant talk in low tones, until they had halted before the fireitself. The expectation of Ned and Rosa was to meet some one, mostprobably a party of the settlers, who were taking refuge in the woodsuntil the Indians and Tories should leave the valley; but in this theywere disappointed. Halting directly before the blaze, they lookedaround, but saw no one besides themselves. 

"Rosa, " said Jo, with a meaning grin, "do you feel as though you can dojustice to a lunch?"

Then the truth flashed upon her. Lena-Wingo had brought them thither forthe purpose of furnishing them with supper. A protest rose to her lips, but she checked it, feeling that she had perhaps said too much already. Certainly if any one in the world ought to have faith in the skill anddevotion of the Mohawk scout, she was that one, and she resolved at theinstant she drove back the complaining words that they should remainunsaid, not for then only, but for all time. 

"Well, yes, Jo; I _am_ hungry, and if you have anything in the way ofsupper, I am sure it will be welcomed by all. "

"How is it, Ned? Do you feel any hankering for eatables?"

"I do. "

"Well, you shall have that yearning satisfied; when Jack and I went off, it was in search of food, for we need it, every one of us. Rosa seems tothink we are loitering away our time, but Jack knows what he is doing. It is an easy matter to get across the river, but when on the other sideour real trouble will begin. Colonel Butler expects us to cross thestream, and he won't make much effort to prevent us, but what he meansto do is to keep us from reaching Wilkesbarre, and we aren't going toget there in a hurry, either. Well, don't you see that we are likely tobe in the woods a good while, and we may have to take a long circuitousroute to get out? I shouldn't be surprised if we were two or three dayslonger on the way, for when Jack undertakes a job of this sort, he doesit thoroughly, and he isn't the one to spoil it by hurry, no matter whathis companions want him to do. All this being so, it isn't necessary totell you that we must have our meals as regular as we can get them. Ifwe eat a good supper now, we shall be able to pass to-morrow without anyfood, but it will go hard without anything in that line. "

"If you will bring out your supper, Jo, and stop your chatter, I willagree to do the same, but I shan't believe you have anything in the wayof food till I see it. "

The brother kept up a stream of talk, in the way of badinage, asking hisfriends to name whatever article of diet they wished, as he couldfurnish one almost as well as another. Finally, when the thing hadcontinued long enough, he produced the supper, and it was a surprise toNed and Rosa indeed. While Lena-Wingo was engaged in stirring andthrowing more wood on the fire, Jo removed some fresh green leaves froma package that had been lying unnoticed near at hand, and within wasfound a large piece of roast pig! Furthermore, it was young, tender, well cooked, juicy and clean. 

The appetites of all were keen, and as they took seats on the ground andate as well as they could, with the help of the keen hunting knives ofthe party, it would have been impossible to enjoy it more. Nobody butthe Mohawk knew how long it was since he had partaken of food, but hadthe period been a week, he could not have shown a keener relish for thenourishing meat. While employed in this pleasant manner, it wasexplained how it came about that they were furnished with this supper. As Jo had already told his sister, he and the Mohawk started off inquest of food, when they affected such a mystery in their movements. 

It was no time nor neighborhood in which to look for game, and theirpurpose was to hunt some farm-house, where they hoped to find enough ofthe stock left to furnish them with one meal at least. While on theirway through the woods, they came in sight of this same camp fire, whichthey approached and reconnoitered. The first figure they recognized wasthat of Colonel Butler, and next to him was Captain Bagley, hiswell-chosen assistant, besides which there were four Iroquois Indians, whose principal business seemed to be that of roasting a plump pig, which they had stolen from some settler in the valley. 

Colonel Butler was very loquacious, and talked so freely with thecaptain that his purpose of crossing the river speedily became known tothe listening scouts. Some of his references to Rosa Minturn were suchthat Jo would have shot him as he sat eating by his own camp fire, hadnot the Mohawk interfered and quieted him with the philosophicalobservation:

"Hain't got gal yet--won't get her--talk won't hurt her. "

Although it was certain that the party meant to cross the Susquehannathat night, probably as soon as the supper was finished, yet it did notoccur to the Mohawk that they intended to use the canoe which wasawaiting the whites. When the Tories and Iroquois completed their meal, they started for the stream, and Lena-Wingo and Jo followed, keepingthem under scrutiny until they left the shore for the other side. Theparty went off leaving their camp fire burning brightly, and as therewas no reason to believe that any of their allies were near little wasfeared in returning to the scene and appropriating what was left asfragments of their feast. 

The friends, therefore, ate with that enjoyment which comes of a sharpappetite, good food, and the consciousness that they need be in no hurryto finish. It was the purpose of the Mohawk to place his companions onthe other side of the stream before daylight, but he convinced them thatthere was nothing to be gained by hurrying in the business. 

As the weak force at the station of Wilkesbarre would be on guardagainst the approach of all enemies, especially during the darkness ofthe night, it would be a matter of difficulty, as well as one of extremedanger, to secure admission at that time. For this reason he preferredto do that part of his work in the daytime, when he could have anopportunity to use all his senses, and not be taken at a disadvantage. 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE REPORT OF A GUN. 

There was one matter that caused Ned Clinton so much uneasiness that heappealed to the Mohawk to know whether some attention should not be paidto it. That was the report of the gun which they had heard while on theway to, and only a short distance from, this place. If a gun was fired, it followed that some one must have fired it, and the probabilities werethe marksman was not far away. Such was the view of the young scout whenhe reflected upon the affair. Furthermore, nothing seemed so likely toattract the notice of friend or foe, at night, as the blazing campfire--the most conspicuous object possible at such a time in the forest. 

Lena-Wingo was not the one to forget an occurrence like the firing of agun, and when the question was put to him by Ned, he answered in themost satisfactory manner. Upon his first approach to the camp fire, whenconducting his friends thither, he had made a complete circuit of theplace, walking so far from the blazing sticks that the reconnoissancewas as complete as it could be made. Failing to detect any sign ofdanger, he concluded that there was none. The gun whose report they hadnoticed he believed was fired by some white man who was lurking in theneighborhood, in the hope of being able to protect his property, or, more probably, with a view of securing something in the way of food, itmight be, for a party of fugitives in hiding at no great distance. 

There were many instances of such flight and concealment during the fewdays of, and succeeding, the massacre of Wyoming. Parties of men andwomen, who had not been demented by the atrocities that marked thatdreadful era in the history of the settlement, were, in some instances, wise enough to seek some good hiding-place before exhausting themselvesin the frantic efforts to flee. 

By keeping a vigilant watch against the approach of their enemies, andby studiously avoiding an exposure of themselves, except when forcedthereto, and by stealing out at night in quest of food, they were ableto emerge from the reign of terror far better than hundreds of theirneighbors did. 

Lena-Wingo was positive that the gun which alarmed them was dischargedby a member of such a party, though what his precise reason was for theconclusion was more than any of the three could comprehend or suspect, and he did not make it clear to them. And so the supper of roast pig waseaten in peace, and with an enjoyment that has already been referred to. When it was finished, Jo said:

"Now, as there is no telling when we will be able to secure the nextmeal--for we can't expect Colonel Butler to keep up his supply of roastpig--I think we ought to take some of this with us to provide foremergencies. "

"Where shall we get it?" was the pertinent question of his sister. 

"Why, take along what is left. "

"Have you any left?"

"Well, no, I haven't any, but I suppose the others have. "

"Take a look, and let us know how much there is!"

Jo took the look, as suggested, and the result was, as might have beensuspected, there was not so much as an ounce of meat to be found. Andyet, they had eaten every particle they wished, so that a morewell-ordered meal could not have been furnished. 

"What is the use of taking thought for the morrow?" asked Rosa. "Has notLena-Wingo proved himself able to provide us with all we want in the wayof food?"

"There is no denying that, but I only wanted to assist him in a simplematter; and if we are all to possess such appetites as we have shownto-night, it may not be an easy matter, after all, to keep up thequartermaster's supplies. However, " he added, cheerfully, "we won'tborrow trouble after the great good fortune that has followed us fromthe beginning. "

They succeeded in making themselves comfortable in this respect, thoughnow and then the manner in which the Mohawk acted caused a doubt torise. Instead of sitting still, as did the others, while he was eating, he frequently rose to his feet and went off in the woods, the directionfrom which he reappeared showing that he had been making another of hisreconnoissances of their own position. Rosa explained to her companionsthat such was his invariable custom whenever he was in camp, and it wasaccepted as a way he had of conducting his own business. 

As the party had secured a meal, the next thing was to find the canoewith which to cross the Susquehanna, a proceeding that had been delayedso long that more than one of the little company began to feel asuperstitious fear that it might be they were doomed to stay forever onthis side. This was a duty which, as a matter of course, belonged to theMohawk, and, after his usual admonition to his friends about keepingsilent during his absence, he went off again. As there was no tellinghow long the red scout would be gone, it remained for the three friendsto content themselves as best they could until his return. This was acomparatively easy matter, or would have been, but for the memory ofthat single rifle shot heard but a short time before reaching this spot. 

"I think the best thing we can do, " said Ned Clinton, "is to let thisfire go out, or leave it altogether. We are too conspicuous here, and, as the night is quite warm, we can stay in one part as well as another. "

"I would rather do it than not, " replied Jo, "if we had only asked RedJack before he went away; but it seems to be always an unlucky thing forus when we disregard his instructions. "

"What do you think of it?" asked Ned, turning to Rosa, who, up to thistime, had held her peace. 

"I suppose Lena-Wingo would not be likely to make any objection, and ifhe did, I don't see why we should stay here and expose ourselves todanger on his account. "

"Very well, I agree to that--"

To the amazement of all, a second report, apparently of the same gun, broke in upon their startled ears. 

By a common instinct, they sprang to their feet, and started off in thegloom, expecting to learn the cause of the strange firing. The sound ofsome one hurrying rapidly over the leaves was heard by all, and NedClinton whispered to the rest:

"Quick! Back, out of the way!"

While the words were still in his mouth, the three retreated into thedarkness of the woods beyond the light of the camp fire, and paused, waiting, watching and listening. The rustling of the leaves, which hadalarmed them so much a short time before, was heard no more, and thesame oppressive, because suggestive, silence held reign. Who had firedthe gun? At whom was it pointed? Was the marksman a white or red man?Were there more of the Iroquois in the immediate vicinity, and were theystealing up to this camp where the little party of fugitives had takensupper? Were the friends being drawn into a skilfully laid ambush? Suchwere some of the questions they asked themselves as they stood in thedarkness of the forest, waiting for the cause of all this apprehensionto come forth and show himself. 

Suddenly the same soft rustling of the leaves was detected and whoeverwas the cause thereof was plainly approaching the camp fire. Then a formissued into view and paused. It was Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk. His friendsinstantly gathered about him to learn the success of his errand, and theexplanation of the report of the rifle. 

"You hear gun?" asked the red scout. 

"Of course we did, " answered Ned, "and what did it mean?"

The old grin came back to the face of the Mohawk as he replied: "Thatgun fired by white man. He aim at Lena-Wingo!" was the astoundinginformation he gave his companions. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

MR. ISAAC PERKINS. 

Grinning in his imperturbable fashion, the Mohawk turned part way round, and made a signal, evidently for some one invisible to all. Be that asit may, it was instantly responded to by the coming forward of a man inthe ordinary dress of a farmer settler of the valley. He had an honestcountenance, and was about forty years old. As he came into full view, so that the firelight fell full upon his face, he was recognized as anold acquaintance, named Perkins, who lived but a short distance fromwhere the camp fire was burning. 

"Wall, how are ye all?" he asked in a drawling voice and an accent thatbetrayed the fact that he was one of the descendants of the Connecticutpioneers that built Forty Fort, not a great many years before. "I say, how are ye all?" he continued, as he began shaking hands round. "I'll beshot if I expected to see any one of ye folks round here. I say, howare ye all agin?"

"Well, Ike, " replied Ned Clinton, who was well acquainted with him, andfelt authorized to answer, "we are all right, as you can see foryourself, and you seem to be equally fortunate. "

"Wall, I s'pose I am, " was the hesitating answer, "the main troublebeing that we have been suffering for the last few days from a dreadfulscare; but then we hain't been injured in any way, thanks be to the Lordfor it all. "

"Then you aren't alone--"

"Yes, I am, " interrupted the farmer; "that is, when I'm abroad. "

The precise meaning of this was not clear to the listeners, but Nedcontinued without noticing it:

"I did not see you in the battle, Mr. Perkins. "

"No, thanks be to the Lord for it all, I was able to keep out by runningaway, when the battle begun, or rather a little before. I had hard workto get clear; thanks to the Lord, I managed to do it. "

"Where's your family?"

"Wall, now, thar's where I've ben specially favored again. You know thatthere are three of us--myself, Mrs. Perkins, and Master GeorgeWashington Perkins, aged four years, so I had my hands full in lookingafter them; but the second Mrs. Perkins is a remarkable woman, andpossesses an exceedingly powerful mind--an exceedingly powerful mind, beyond all question. I must give her the credit for the able managementof this enterprise, for she deserves more credit than I. You know howbrave a man I am by nature, and how I have a natural hankering for gore. Wall, that yearning to be killing some one made me furious to plungehead first into the battle when it began raging down the valley, and Istarted seventeen times--yes, seventeen times--to go in to do or die, Ididn't care which, but Mrs. Perkins had her eagle eye on me, and everytime I made a rush, she rushed also, and caught me by the coat-tails, and nothing short of an earthquake could have persuaded her to let go. Wall, to make that story short, she prevailed, and kept me out of thestruggle, thanks be to the Lord for all that. "

"But how did you manage to keep clear of the Indians?"

"There it was her planning again. She called to mind a spot in the woodsnot far away, where, when she was a sweet little girl, she used to playhide-and-whoop with her playmates, and where she was always able tosecure a hiding that baffled the skill of her young friends, andstraightway it occurred to her that there was the very spot in which totake refuge, and there we went. "

"Any trouble in getting there?"

"Nothing to speak of, " replied the farmer, in his lofty way. "Of coursethe Tories and Indians tried to head us off, but I had a gun, and thestrength of my good right arm, and more than all that, I had Mrs. Perkins as my second in command, and where was the use of any one tryingto break such a combination as that? We were bound to prevail, and wenever allowed ourselves to be turned aside by any trifles, and wereached the refuge in safety, and there we are staying, and expect tostay till things quiet down again. "

"But how did you manage for food?" asked Jo, desirous of testing theaccuracy of the Mohawk's judgment when he declared that the first gunfired had been discharged by a man in the situation of Perkins whilesearching for something to eat. 

"Wall, " he said, in the old drawling style peculiar to men who love tohear themselves talk, "when stealing becomes a matter of necessity, itain't stealing any longer, and I have been in the habit of slipping outon the sly and fetching down some of the stock that's roaming throughthe woods without knowing who their master is--thanks be to the Lord forall that!"

"Was that you who fired off your gun a little while ago?"

"I've shot off my rifle twice within the last hour. The first time wasat a hog, and I missed him, for, somehow or other, the rampaging of theIndians and Tories through the valley seems to have upset everything, the dumb animals as well--Mrs. Perkins is more nervous thanusual--thanks be to the--I was about to say that the dumb critters knowthat something is going on round them that ain't right, and they are aswild as mad bulls, which is why I come to miss hitting that porker. "

So the rather lengthy reply of the loquacious farmer proved thatLena-Wingo was accurate in his opinion as to the reason the former shotwas fired. 

"Was your second shot sent after another wild animal?"

At this question, Mr. Perkins looked meaningly at the Mohawk andlaughed:

"Wall, no; I don't suppose it would be safe to call Red Jack a wildanimal, but when I caught sight of him, or, rather, heard him movingthrough the woods, I set him down as one of the Iroquois, who have madeMrs. Perkins so nervous--thanks to the--I say I set him down as one ofthose villains, and I blazed away. "

"Did you hit him?"

"Wall, no--thanks to the Lord for it all--for, to tell the truth, Ididn't try, for I don't like to pick off a man in that style withoutgiving him a little notice, though I'm sorry to say I've had to do itmore than once. I just meant to give him a scare, and I guess I made outto do that--didn't I, Jack?"

"Not much scare--don't shoot straight, " was the rather uncomplimentaryreply of the Mohawk. 

"Wall, we won't quarrel over that, Jack, for I'm mighty glad I didn'thurt you. I would have felt very bad if I had shot such a good fellow asyou. "

"Do you know whether there are any more Indians in this neighborhood?"

"I don't think there are any nearer than Forty Fort; they have beenrampaging up and down the valley for the past two or three days, butthey must have found that I'm around, for they are a good deal moreafraid than they were. But then there was quite a lot of them throughthese parts to-day. "

"Did you see Colonel Butler and his party?"

"Oh, yes, " answered the settler, as though he pitied the ignorance ofhis listeners, "I have had them under my eye ever since they came out ofthe fort. Do you know that I came very near capturing them all?"

Ned replied that they had no knowledge of such a startling fact. 

"The minute I laid eyes onto them, I made up my mind they were up tosome deviltry, and I watched them--watched them as a cat does a mouse. Iheard that old rascal say something about his looking for the purtiestlady in the valley, and I knew at once he meant Mrs. Perkins, and thatroused my dander, as you may guess, and I swore I would go for him. Iwas so mad that I was determined to snatch the whole party, and I laidmy plans to do it. "

"And how was it that you failed?"

"By the merest slip in the world. My plan was to follow close behind, dogging their footsteps, and picking them off one by one till they wereall gone. It would have been a big thing, wouldn't it?"

"Most certainly it would; and why did you fail?"

"Wall, I'm just telling you; it didn't take me long to fix up all myscheme, and I had just drawn a bead on Colonel Butler, having CaptainBagley in a line, too, so that I was sure to fetch them both, when Ihappened to remember that my gun wasn't loaded. I drew off to load itwith an extra large charge, when something must have told them of thedanger that threatened, for they moved off and before I could find themagain it was so dark that they couldn't be found, and so by that narrowchance they all escaped. "

CHAPTER IX. 

BORDER BRAVERY. 

Mr. Perkins having been allowed to relate his own story--in the tellingof which he drew a pretty long bow--his listeners judged it was time todo something practical. He was asked therefore whether he could informthem where to lay hands on a boat with which to cross the Susquehanna. 

"Do I know where a boat is?" he repeated, as if surprised at the mereidea that he could not give the information. "Why, of course I do. There's one only a short distance from where we are standing this veryminute. "

"Perhaps you refer to the one which Colonel Butler appropriated forhimself, " suggested Ned, whose faith in the man was considerablylessened by what he told them. 

"No such thing; I'll put one in your hands in five minutes, if you willgo with me. "

The three friends looked at Lena-Wingo, as if they wished his opinionbefore they assented to the proposal. The Mohawk had been a patientlistener throughout, and he nodded his head and set the example byleading the way. 

"Go with him--he find boat. "

Mr. Perkins seemed to form an exalted idea of his own usefulness by theconsciousness that he was the real guide for the time being, and hestalked off like some leader of his clan. The apprehension that he wasmisleading them was quieted by the confidence which the Mohawk showed inhis offer. 

"I don't think there's any Indians or Tories about here, and the Lord bethanked, " remarked the settler, who found it about impossible to holdhis tongue when it was once loosed; "but it will be well to act as ifthere was danger at every turn now. I advise you all to do like me--andthat is, not to speak a word when on the way through the woods--for Itell you that it is the easiest thing in the world to let a whole tribeknow your poking round--"

"Be still!" struck in the Mohawk, evidently angered, where the otherswere only amused. "Talk too much!"

This peremptory summons to put a check to his clatter was accepted inthe most philosophic manner by the individual for whom the command wasintended. 

"That's what I have always maintained, " he said. "People are everinclined to use their tongues more than they ought. "

"Is your gun loaded?" asked Lena-Wingo, in a more considerate manner. 

"Yes. I have got a double charge in her. "

Thereupon the Indian whispered to Ned Clinton and Jo Minturn to dropquietly behind, doing it in such a way that their disappearance wouldnot be noticed by their vaunting leader. The hint was acted upon andwithin five minutes from the time it was given, Mr. Perkins wasconducting only the red scout through the forest, while he supposed thethree were directly in the rear of him, awed and speechless by thestunning observations he was continually making for their benefit. 

"As I was about to remark when you interrupted me, " continued theloquacious settler, "there is no fault more frequent than that of usingthe tongue when it should be permitted to rest, and the Lord be thankedthat weakness can never be laid to my charge. When Mrs. Perkins and mewas a-coming to our retreat in the woods, she was so inclined to talkthat I had to admonish her several times it was likely to get us intotrouble. But law me! who ever heard of a handsome young lady that wouldtake any advice about talking? Mrs. Perkins is very sensitive on thatsubject, and she chose to disregard what I said, and what was theconsequence? Why, my friends--it wasn't five--certainly not ten--minutesafter that, while we were picking our way along as best we could--What'sthat?"

The settler paused in his walk and talk, like one who was suddenlyapprised that he was on the brink of some peril. 

"What's that?" he repeated in a whisper, turning his head toward theMohawk, who was dimly discernible in the gloom. 

"Iroquois Indian look for you. "

"Good heavens and earth! You don't think so, do you?" fairly gasped theman, trembling with affright. 

"He Indian--he hear you talk--he come look for you. "

"Oh, heaven! It won't do for me to stay here, " whispered the poorfellow, beginning a cautious retreat that brought him into collisionwith the Mohawk, who was standing perfectly still, as if listening forsomething that would tell him what the real danger was. 

Lena-Wingo threw him off with such force that he stumbled forward uponhis hands and knees. 

"What the blazes are you doing?" demanded the indignant Perkins, scrambling to his feet. "What's the use of knocking a feller over thatway?"

By this time he was erect and gazing, or rather glaring, back into thegloom, as if to make sure where his man was standing and then demolishhim. But, to his amazement, his man was not to be seen; he hadfled, --driven away, as the settler believed, by the fear of the otherIndians that were so near at hand. Perkins was silent for a moment, notknowing what he should do. Then he called the name of the Mohawk in acautious tone:

"Hello! Leaner-Winger, where are you?"

But the silence gave no token, and he pronounced the name of Ned, Jo andRosa in turn, without any further success. 

"They've all left me, " he muttered angrily. "All of them togetherhaven't the courage that I have alone. Wall, I can get along withoutthem if they can without me; but if there are Indians, I'll bet they'llbe sorry they gave me the slip. It ain't every party that's lucky enoughto have a man of my experience and skill and courage to help them out oftrouble--blazes!"

The bravery of the settler, which had been growing during the silencesucceeding the first alarm, suddenly collapsed when his ear caught asound, precisely as if some one was stealing over the leaves toward him. There must be real danger after all!

"Who's there?" called Perkins, in a shiver. "If you don't answer I'llshoot. "

Nevertheless, no answer was evoked by such a threat and the settler madeup his mind that if he could not effect an orderly retreat he must makesome kind of a fight. Accordingly, he peered ahead in the darkness, seeking a view of the crouching redskin, with the purpose of giving himthe whole charge of the musket. 

"I hope there ain't more than one of them, for if there happens to be, "he said to himself, "I ain't likely to get a chance to reload beforethey come down on me. It was an infernal mean piece of business in thatcrowd to sneak off that way and leave me in the lurch just when I waslikely to need their help. "

While he was muttering in his endless fashion, he was still retreatingas stealthily as possible, hoping to get far enough off from thedangerous spot to give himself a chance to make a run for some safeconcealment. He had taken only a step or two, when he was hailed fromsomewhere in the gloom ahead. 

"Stop, white man, or me take scalp!"

The settler paused at this fearful summons and his knees smote together. 

"Wh-wh-what do yo-yo-you want?" he stammered, hardly conscious of whathe was saying. 

"Want your scalp, white man. "

"Thunderation! I hain't got any! My wife pulled out all my hair thefirst week we were married. I'm bald-headed, so what's the--"

"Stop!" broke in the voice of the hidden Indian, who seemed to know thathe was trying to steal away. 

"Well, what do you want?" asked the victim, showing a disposition toargue the matter. 

"Want your scalp! Come up--hand it to me. "

This was more than flesh and blood could stand. With a howl of terrorthe settler whirled around and dashed into the depths of the forest, never pausing long enough to notice that the voice which addressed suchterrifying words to him was that of Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk. 

CHAPTER X. 

ON THE RIVER. 

After the unceremonious flight of Mr. Perkins, the whites gatheredaround the Mohawk and expressed a fear that their little joke hadresulted in the loss of the boat which the frightened settler was aboutto place in their possession. But the Indian assured them there was noloss on that account, as he knew the precise point where, if there wasany boat within reach, it would be found. He proved the truth of what hesaid by leading them to the shore of the river, where, sure enough, thevery thing for which they were looking was discovered. 

"I feel like forgiving Ike for all those tremendous yarns he told us, "said Clinton, when the prize was found. 

"Well, I don't think he has suffered any harm beyond a good scaring, which he deserved, " added Rosa, who enjoyed the discomfiture of thesettler as much as did the Mohawk himself. 

When they came to examine the vessel more carefully, however, there wassome disappointment; for, instead of being a neat, clean canoe, like theone in which the girl had spent a portion of the day, it was a veryordinary structure, known along the rivers of the eastern part of thecountry as a "scow, " and which under any circumstances was incapable ofany speed. It was not propelled in the same manner as a canoe, the onlyimplement being a long pole, so that if they should happen to get beyondtheir depth, they would be totally at sea. The only good quality itappeared to possess was that it was perfectly tight, --a quality notoften seen in crafts of its class, --and the bottom was without a drop ofwater. Ned and Jo were so disappointed in the boat that they proposed, in the same breath, that they should look further before making theattempt to reach the other side. 

"Suppose we were seen by Colonel Butler or any of his men, " said Jo. "Wewould be at their mercy. It strikes me as very likely that we mayencounter them, and what will we do, with nothing but a pole to push theold thing through the water?"

"I am of the same opinion, " said Ned. "It will be a hard task to workour passage over, any way, not to mention the danger of being seen bysome of the Iroquois. What do you think, Rosa?"

"I don't fancy a voyage in such a vessel; but the river is not verywide, and I am afraid that if we stop to hunt up another, to-morrowmorning will find us on this side of the Susquehanna. "

While these words were passing between the three, the Mohawk stoodsomewhat apart, silent, grim, and listening. He appeared interested inwhat was said, but showed no inclination to say anything until directlyappealed to. 

"Are you satisfied to trust yourself in such a craft?" asked Jo, as hefaced the silent one. "Tell us what you think of it. "

They were now entirely out of the forest, so that the faint light of themoon enabled them to see each other's faces quite well. When Lena-Wingowas appealed to, it was natural that the others should look him full inthe face and, as they did so, each saw the old grin with which they werebecoming so familiar. 

"Lena-Wingo say nothing, " was the unexpected reply of their guide, whostill leaned on the pole as if waiting for the others to finish theirdiscussion and enter the boat. 

"But you must say something, " persisted Jo; "you don't suppose we aregoing to let our haste to cross blind us to the means we use. "

"If want to go over t'other side, Lena-Wingo push over--if don't want togo in boat, Lena-Wingo wait and get t'other boat. "

This answer was hardly more satisfactory than the first, and Jo refusedto accept it as an answer at all. 

"We aren't going to let you get out that way, " continued the youngscout; "we want a reply to the question I put to you. "

Without relaxing the broad grin on his painted face, the Mohawk said:

"Lena-Wingo take over in this boat, if want to go. "

Jo was half angry, and was on the point of saying something impatient, when his sister interfered. 

"Lena-Wingo has answered your question, Jo; he says that he will take usacross in this boat, if we want him to, and I'm sure that is as plainan answer as any one could ask for. "

"It isn't as clear as I want, but if you are satisfied I'm certain thatNed and I are also, and have nothing more to say. "

"I am not afraid to trust myself in this boat with him, for I amconvinced he wouldn't undertake it if he wasn't confident he couldaccomplish the voyage. So go ahead, Lena-Wingo, for there has been somuch delay that we'll never get across if we wait much longer. "

This settled the question, and the preparations for the embarkationfollowed immediately. The scow was shoved off a little from the shore, so that the combined weight would not make it too difficult to move it. Then Rosa took her place in the furthest part, and her brother and loverdid the same. Lena-Wingo waited till all had arranged themselves, whenhe forced the craft clear of the land, and sprang lightly into it, as itwas still moving away into the stream. 

The handling of a pole is not an occupation to which the Indians, as ageneral thing, are trained, and it was not to be expected that theMohawk would display anything like the skill which he possessed in themanagement of the paddle. But Lena-Wingo was one of those individuals, occasionally seen, who seem to take naturally to any kind of physicalexercise, and he controlled the rather awkward implement in a way thatexcited more than one commendatory remark from the two youths who werewatching him. 

This species of craft is intended for water close to the land, andalways where it is shallow, so that the redman was under a disadvantage, even with all his skill. As the pole was long enough to touch the bottomin any portion of the stream, there was no fear that he would not reachthe other shore, provided he was not disturbed by his enemies; but whenhis companions reflected on what might take place, in case they wereforced to resort to anything like a contest with the Iroquois, theycould not but shudder, and regret that the start was made. 

They had hardly left the land behind them when, as if by a commonimpulse, all three of the whites turned their heads and gazed doubtfullyat the shore they were approaching. In the gloom of the night it couldnot be seen at all, a dark wall seeming to shut it from view. As thewater deepened, the current became swifter and the task of managing theunwieldly craft more difficult, though it was hard to see how any onecould have done better than the Mohawk. 

It was impossible to cross in anything like a direct line, and it wasfound that they were drifting rapidly down stream. Still, Lena-Wingopersevered in his calm, unexcited way until the middle of the river wasnearly reached, when it struck both the young scouts that it was hardlythe thing for them to sit idle in the boat while he was toiling somanfully to work his way over. Ned whispered to Jo that he meant to takea hand at the pole. 

"Do so, " whispered his friend back again, "and when you are tired, Iwill try it, for it will tire us all pretty well before we make theother shore. I am sure you can do as well as he. "

Ned arose at once, and stepping across the length of the swaying craft, reached out his hand for the pole. 

"Let me help you, Jack; there is no need of wearying yourself out whenwe are doing nothing. "

Ned expected that the Mohawk would refuse to let him interfere, but, tohis surprise, he assented at once. 

"Take him--he ain't a paddle, " replied the redman, passing the implementover to him. 

"You are right on that point, " laughed the youth as he accepted it fromhim, and almost immediately found the truth of the declaration verifiedin his own experience. 

They were in deeper water than they supposed, the depth having increasedvery rapidly in the last few minutes. But Clinton went at the workmanfully, with the determination to do all he could for the "good of thecause. "

CHAPTER XI. 

AN UNFAVORABLE OMEN. 

Ned pressed the pole into the bottom of the river, which was so farbelow that only a few feet of the stick remained above the surface, andhe was forced to lean over the side of the craft to secure any leverage. Any one who has tried it knows that it is next to impossible toaccomplish much under similar circumstances, and the young scout was ofthe opinion that he was not making any progress at all toward the othershore. 

"We are in the deepest part, " said Jo, with a view of encouraging him. 

"And it looks as if we were going to stay there, " replied Ned, strainingand pushing at his work. 

"This deep part must be very narrow, and you'll soon be over it. "

"That's the trouble, " said his friend, with a laugh, "I am over it, anddon't see that there is much prospect of my getting anywhere else. "

Still he worked and toiled at the greatest possible disadvantage, theswaying of the boat frequently causing it to baffle all his efforts tomove onward. Several times, when he braced his shoulders, the craftwould sag against the pole with such force as almost to wrench it fromhis grasp. 

"Keep heart, " called out Jo. "I think you are gaining. "

"In which way?"

"We're a few inches nearer the southern shore than we were--"

"When we started, " interrupted Ned, showing a very modest estimate ofhis own abilities in the way of managing the craft. 

Jo rose and went to the side of his friend, hoping that he might be ofassistance, for he clearly needed something of the kind. 

"Let me take hold, " said he, "or we are stuck, as sure as you live. "

"I don't see how you can be of any help to me, " answered Ned, who wouldhave been glad enough to receive it, if there was any direction in whichit could be applied. "You notice the trouble is that it so deep justhere, and the current so strong, that it bothers a fellow amazingly. Now, if you will get overboard and push the stern you will do somegood, but I don't see that you are going to amount to anything in anyother way. "

"Then I rather calculate that I won't amount to anything at all, " wasthe sensible conclusion of the other, as he returned to his place besidehis sister and the Mohawk. 

There was reason to believe that the labors of Ned Clinton were notentirely in vain, even though they were not encouraging. The boat wascertainly progressing, and the height of the pole above the water showedthat the depth was less by a few inches than before. 

It must continue to diminish, and as it did so, the boatman would gain, in a corresponding degree, his control of the craft. A few minutes afterthis the truth became apparent to Ned himself, and he toiled all theharder, until he regained, in a great degree, his mastery over the scow. 

"Whew!" he exclaimed, as he paused a moment to catch breath. "I feellike giving a hurrah for me!"

"You deserve a great deal of credit, " said Rosa, "I thought severaltimes you had undertaken something more than you could accomplish. Butyou stuck to it bravely, and if it was only safe, I should like to heara cheer for you. "

"Very well; we'll consider it given. "

"If you wait much longer with that pole doing nothing, " added Rosa, looking down stream as she spoke, "I think we'll arrive opposite thefort, where some of the Iroquois will be sure to see us. "

Once more the pole was thrust against the bottom, and immediately thecraft responded to the impulse, and all felt high hopes of making theother bank in a few minutes. 

While the light talk was going on, the Mohawk was scanning the shorethey were approaching, for it was all-important that they should strikeit at some point where none of their enemies could see them. Severaltimes he hushed his companions when they were talking in toounrestrained a manner, for the sound of anything can be heard a longdistance over the water on a still summer night, and there was danger ofbeing betrayed in that way. The party had advanced so far by this time, that the outline of the bank was dimly discerned ahead of them. It wasnothing more than a heavy wall of shadow, showing where the trees camedown to the edge of the water, but it was the kind of shore they wantedto see. 

"Let me take a hand, " said Jo, as he stepped up beside his friend. "Youmust be pretty well tired out by this time. "

"I can take the old scow to the land as well as not, but, as you haven'thad anything to do since we started, I'll let you try it awhile. "

Accordingly, Jo pressed the pole against the hard bottom of theSusquehanna, and the progress continued without interruption until somehalf a dozen rods were passed, when operations were suddenly checked bythe Mohawk uttering his warning aspiration:

"'Sh!"

This was as effective as if he had called out in a loud voice that theIroquois were upon them. Jo paused on the instant, and like the restglanced at the Indian to learn what it meant. Up to that moment all, with the exception of him who managed the pole, were seated on thegunwale, but the Mohawk, at the instant of uttering the exclamation, rose to his feet, and was seen to be looking toward the land which wastheir destination. Since this placed his back toward his friends, theycould only gaze in the same direction in quest of the cause of hisalarm. 

At first they saw nothing, but in a few seconds the explanation came inthe shape of a light, which resembled a torch carried in the hands ofsome one who was walking along the edge of the water. As this lightshowed itself near the spot at which they were aiming, it was high timethey halted. The whole party, gazing in the direction of the strangeillumination, made an interesting tableau while drifting down the river. The torch--if such it was--continued visible but a few seconds, when itvanished as if plunged into the water. 

Here was another unexpected interference with their plans, and the oldfeeling of doubt came to the heart of Rosa Minturn, when she recalledthe extraordinary delay that had attended their attempts to get to FortWilkesbarre, and now when her hopes were high, and they were actually insight of the shore, this mysterious light had come to warn them off. 

Lena-Wingo did not stand idle long when they were confronted by suchdanger, but turning about, stepped hastily back to where Jo wasawaiting the word of command, and took the pole from him. 

"Must go back--Iroquois heard us coming--watch for us. "

More than one heart sank as these words were uttered, for all felt thatit was a bad omen thus to turn back, when they were so near the landthey were seeking. There was another fact which was equally apparent, and which caused them no very pleasant reflection. They had very likelybetrayed themselves by their own indiscretion, in talking in tones thatreached the ears of those who were watching for them. No one was toblame, therefore, but themselves for the unfortunate situation in whichthey were placed. 

Jo yielded the pole without a murmur, and the Mohawk applied it with apower and skill that made the retrogression much faster than was theprogress in the other direction. When the deepest portion of the channelwas reached, Lena-Wingo used the implement with a great deal morecleverness than Ned Clinton had displayed, and it was crossed inconsiderably less time than before. Then, as the more shallow watercame, and the craft was quite manageable, the Mohawk stopped work, andholding the pole motionless and motioning his friends not to speak ormove, he listened, they also using their eyes and ears to the best oftheir ability. 

CHAPTER XII. 

FORCED BACKWARD. 

Ear and eye were strained to catch sound or sight that would tellsomething of their enemies. All, even the Mohawk, expected to hear theripple of the paddles of the Iroquois in pursuit, but the stillness ofthe tomb was not more profound than that in which they were nowenfolded. Probably a half mile below them another light was seenshining, and almost directly opposite was a similar one. It looked as ifthe Iroquois were signaling to one another; and, if it so happened thatthis scow, with its occupants, was the object of these communications, the latter might well feel anxiety about their situation. 

Lena-Wingo seemed puzzled to find that there was no evidence of hisenemies being immediately behind them, for he was confident that thelight which had arrested the forward movement of the boat was not onlyin the hands of one of the Iroquois, but was intended as a signal toapprise others that the fugitives had been discovered, and the time hadcome to close in upon them. What, therefore, meant this profoundstillness, at a time when the sounds of the most active pursuit ought tohave been heard? Could it mean, after all, that the light was anaccident, and the redmen had seen nothing of the fugitives stealing inupon them? While the Mohawk was revolving the matter in his mind, RosaMinturn uttered a suppressed exclamation:

"See there!"

It so happened, at that moment, that she was the only one of the partygazing in the direction of the shore which they had originally left, andshe alone made the discovery that instantly turned all eyes in thatdirection. Exactly at the spot where they would have been landed by theMohawk--allowing for the inevitable dropping down stream--was stillanother light, resembling the first that had startled them. 

This was complicating matters, indeed, and the alarm of the whitesbecame greater than at any time since starting. It looked as if they hadnot only been detected, but that the Iroquois had quietly perfectedtheir preparations for capturing them. The Mohawk, as was hispeculiarity under all circumstances, was as cool as ever, and he lookedback and forth as if not particularly desirous of learning who were thetorch-bearers. 

"Don't stand up, " he whispered, fearing that some of his companionswould rise to their feet in their excitement. 

There was a possibility that the fugitives had not been detected, thoughthe probabilities were against such a hopeful fact. It would have seemedto an uninterested spectator that if the Iroquois were aware that theparty whom they were seeking had embarked, they would have kept themunder surveillance until they learned where they were likely to land, and then would have made preparations to capture them as they left theboat. Such was the simplest plan, and it would have been more effectivethan any other. That they had neglected to do so was ground for the hopeof the Mohawk that he and his friends were still undiscovered. 

It was equally probable that the redmen on the southeastern shore, having learned that their game was coming into their hands, had signaledthe fact to their allies across the Susquehanna, so that they might beprepared for the retrograde movement which was actually made. Under thecircumstances, there was but one thing remaining for the Mohawk to do, and that was to drift with the current until below the point where thelast light had shown itself, and then to make an effort to land. Fortunately, the woods were dense at this place, so that if they couldsecure a foothold once more, there was a good prospect that this naturalprotection could be turned to account. And this was what the guide nowattempted to do. 

Stooping low in the boat, so that his head and shoulders barely appearedabove the gunwale, he held the pole ready to use any instant it might berequired, and patiently awaited the moment when the flat-bottomed craftshould reach the point desired. The excitement was the more intensebecause none dared move, and all were in a state of expectancy that madethe suspense of the most trying nature. It seemed to the whites as theypeeped cautiously over the low gunwale of the scow, that the moon threwdouble the light that it did when they were in the middle of the riverand anxious to gain a view of the land they were seeking to reach. Againand again Rosa was sure she saw shadowy figures stealing along in thedarkness, watching them with the keenness of so many lynxes, and quiteas frequently she was equally sure she detected stealthy movements bythe sound of the moccasin-covered feet on the bank. 

Before they were a dozen feet below the point where the light was seen, it vanished from sight and the gloom enveloped them on every hand. Whilethis was taken as another ominous sign by the whites, the Mohawk did notaccept it as such. If the torches were meant as signals, nothing wasmore natural than that, having performed their duty, they should bewithdrawn. The four parties in the scow maintained their crampedpositions until the boat was a hundred yards below where the alarminglight was seen. At this time, the Mohawk rose partly to his feet stillkeeping the greater portion of his body concealed, and the pole wascarefully thrust over the side into the water. 

No noise accompanied the cautious movement, but the others noticed thatthe boat felt the impulse at once. Lena-Wingo was using it for itslegitimate purpose, and was gradually, but none the less certainly, working in toward the land. It seemed to the others that such aproceeding was dangerous in the highest degree, for the boat, on accountof its size, was likely to attract attention. It was impossible thatthe others should keep their own persons out of sight when the situationwas so critical. Ned and Jo closed their hands upon their rifles, readyto use them at an instant's notice, for to them nothing was moreprobable than that they would be called upon to resist an attack as soonas, if not before, they placed their feet on the shore. 

When they were within a rod or so, the Mohawk ceased work with the pole, and devoted himself to listening for a short time. Unlike the others, hedid not confine his observations to a single spot, but peered towardevery point of the compass, on the watch for some canoe creeping downupon them from the other side of the stream. His keen vision was unableto detect anything upon the surface of the stream itself, but he sawonce more the light that had caused them to turn back from landing. Itwas in very nearly the same spot, too, where it was first seen, and, what was more, it was moving precisely as if intended to convey a hastymessage to parties on the opposite side the stream. 

Lena-Wingo studied the action closely, for he was capable of readingmany of the signs of the Iroquois unknowable to others, and there was achance for him to gain important information. The torch was not merelyvibrating as if carried by a person walking along the margin of theriver, but it was swung round in a circle, slowly and impressively, beginning in this fashion, and increasing until it resembled a fierywheel. Suddenly it disappeared, and all was darkness and stillness againon both sides of the Susquehanna. 

"The whites and the Mohawk scout are on the river, and will try toreturn to the shore which they left. "

This was the interpretation of Lena-Wingo, and it was about impossiblefor him to make any mistake. The retrogression of the fugitives had beendetected, and the confederates on the bank toward which they wereworking their way were notified to be prepared for their coming. Certainly it was high time that the little party in the scow looked towhat they were doing. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

NEW PERIL. 

With the hostile Iroquois on both sides the Susquehanna, and the awkwardscow near the shore, it will be seen that the situation of thefugitives, striving to reach the protection of Wilkesbarre, was not ofan encouraging nature. The Mohawk was confident that he had read themeaning of the waving torch aright, and that if he expected to reach theshore immediately behind him, it must be done at once. 

The signal light was scarcely extinguished when he rose to a stoopingposition, and applied the pole with all the vigor at his command. It wasastonishing to see the speed he was able to force out of the unwieldystructure. The foam actually curled away from the bow, and in a fewseconds it ran plump against the bank and stuck fast. 

"Now is our time, " said Ned, as he caught the hand of Rosa, who sprangup at the same instant with her brother. 

"Yes; it won't do to wait a second, " added Jo. 

"'Sh! move fast--don't make noise, " put in the Mohawk. 

In a twinkling the entire party had landed, and hurried away from thespot, expecting some of the Iroquois would be there within a very shorttime. They were right in this supposition, and were none too soon ingetting away from the place. The Mohawk led the way directly up stream, keeping close to the shore, but still leaving enough space between themand the water for the passage of a number of their enemies. 

It was certainly less than three minutes after the landing of the whitesthat sounds around them were detected, proving that the redmen werehastening to the spot. Their failure to be there when the landing tookplace seemed to point to the conclusion that they must have failed tokeep track of the craft after receiving the notification from the alliesacross the river. The faintest possible "'Sh!" from the Mohawk apprisedhis companions that danger was close, and all came to an instant halt. The sounds of the Iroquois moving near them were slight, but they toldthe story as plainly as if the sunlight revealed every form. 

As might be expected, the Indians did not take long to find the scowthat had been abandoned by the fugitives. And when the craft wasdiscovered it told its own story. The nest was warm, but the bird hadflown. When the Iroquois realized this fact, they exchanged a few words, which the Mohawk heard and understood, for they were in his own tongue. 

"We have come too late to find the pale faces, " said one. 

"They have gone, " replied another. "They are hiding in the woods, and weshall not find them till to-morrow. "

"They cannot cross the big brook, " continued one who seemed to be thefirst speaker. "When the sun comes to light up the forest, then we willtake their trail and hunt them to their holes, and before the sun goesdown there shall not be a scalp left but on the head of the Flower ofthe Woods. "

"And the traitor Lena-Wingo, what shall be done with him?"

"His scalp shall be torn from his head and flung in his face. Then heshall be taken to the towns of the Iroquois and tied to a tree, and lefttill the birds pick out his eyes. The Iroquois women and children shalldance around him, and laugh till his eyes are gone. "

This was interesting information to the individual referred to, but itaffected him little. He had heard too many such threats before. 

"Lena-Wingo is cunning as the serpent that crawls in the grass, "continued the Iroquois, who were dissecting him in his own hearing. 

"You do not hear him move when he comes for his prey, or steals awayfrom the warriors that are hunting him. "

"But Brandt, the great chieftain, has sworn to take the scalp ofLena-Wingo, and he will do it, unless the traitor runs away from sogreat a warrior, as Brandt says he has run when he heard that he washunting for him. "

If ever there was an angry Indian, that one was Lena-Wingo, when heheard these words. The thought of his running away from any one throughfear was a little more than he could stand with composure; and those whowere crouching around him in breathless stillness were surprised to hearhim shift his position and breathe hard, as though struggling tosuppress his emotions. Could they have seen his face at that moment, distorted as it was by passion, they would have been frightened at hisappearance. His hand clutched his knife and he was on the point ofstealing toward the warrior who had uttered the irritating untruth, whenhe seemed to gain the mastery of himself--aided no doubt by the factthat at the same instant his quick ear caught the sound of a paddle, sofaint that no one else heard it. He was on the alert in a second, for ascheme flashed through his mind with the quickness of lightning. 

The faint noise showed that several new-comers had arrived on the scene, and naturally a change in the current of conversation followed. The wishof Lena-Wingo was to learn where these later arrivals came from--whetherfrom the other shore or whether they were prowling up and down the bank, where they were now grouped. To the whites, who could hear every worduttered, the talk of course was incomprehensible; but the loudness ofthe tones, as well as the rapidity and general jangle, led them tobelieve they were angry about something that had taken or had failed totake place, and that had produced a quarrel between them. Such was thefact, and Lena-Wingo listened to the high words with the hope that theywould lead to blows, in which there would be a good chance of the onewho had slurred his courage receiving his deserts. 

Those in the canoe, it seemed, had been stealing up and down the shore, on the alert to detect the departure of the fugitives, but, from somecause or other, failed to do their duty, and they must have been quitea way off at the time the Mohawk put out his awkward scow. The party onshore were angry because of the failure, which was certainly adiscreditable one, and they were very ready to accuse their comrades ofbeing "squaws" on the war-path. The accused were equally ready to chargethe others with being "old women" for permitting the whites to landunder their noses, and to reach cover again. It would be hard to saywhich of the companies was most to blame, and, as is the rule at suchtimes, each berated the other all the more on that account. The prospectwas promising for a deadly quarrel; but one or two in the party appearedto be cool-headed, and they managed to quiet the rising storm, much tothe regret of the listening Mohawk. 

It being clear to all the Iroquois that Lena-Wingo was too cunning forthem, although he had failed in carrying his charge across theSusquehanna, it was plain that all his enemies could do was to fix upona plan to retrieve their own slip. And so, in full hearing of the leaderof the fugitives, they discussed their different schemes. Lena-Wingo wasnot long in learning that there were plenty of his enemies watching bothsides of the river, and that it was to be an undertaking of extremedifficulty for him to cross with his friends. This did not lessen hisdetermination, but rather strengthened it, and he inwardly resolved thathe himself would place his three companions on the southeastern shore, if Colonel Butler had his whole force of Indians and Tories arrangedalong the bank to prevent it!

The consultation between the Iroquois lasted all of half an hour, bywhich time they had decided what to do. They would all land and scatterup and down the river's margin, thus covering as much ground aspossible, and watch for the moment when the whites would come out oftheir cover again. In other words, they meant to patrol the beach sovigilantly that it would be out of the power of the fugitives to leavetheir hiding-place without detection and capture. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. 

All that could be done for a time by the fugitives was to maintain theirposition and remain as quiet as the grave until the Indians moved fromtheir immediate vicinity. The prowling Iroquois were keen-witted, andalthough they may have been careless at first, yet they were on thelookout for the slightest indication of their enemies. Consequently, theleast movement at that time would have been pretty sure to tell themthat the whites, whom they would suppose were hiding somewhere in thewoods, were really close at hand, and within their power. Every one ofthe fugitives realized this, and did not stir while the consultation wasgoing on. 

By some means or other--Ned could never explain how--he had reached outhis hand, at the moment they took these positions, and grasped that ofRosa Minturn. It seemed to have been one of those instinctive actionsthat are natural under certain peculiar circumstances. And so, duringthe better part of an hour, he enjoyed the sweet pleasure of feelingthat delicate little hand nestling within his own. 

At last, when the council of war was finished, the soft rustling amongthe leaves and undergrowth showed that the Iroquois were engaged incarrying out the programme they had just arranged among themselves. Theywere separating, and the danger now was that in leaving the spot theywould stumble upon the whites themselves who were so near them. Nothingcould be done to lessen this danger on the part of the fugitives, theonly thing remaining for them being to continue the deathlike stillnessuntil the peril was gone. Lena-Wingo was well satisfied that theIroquois did not suspect the proximity of the whites, for the act oftaking refuge so near their enemies was scarcely to be expected. Theywould not look, therefore, for them in such a place, and it was a matterof accident or providential interference that would carry the Iroquoisbeyond without learning of the presence of the fugitives. All thelatter--even Rosa herself--understood this danger, and the succeedingfew minutes were exceedingly trying. 

The faint, catlike motion of the redskins proved they were very close, and likely to come closer any second; and if they happened to turn tothe left but a few feet, it was sure to precipitate the collision thatmust be disastrous to the patriots. More than once Ned Clinton wascertain a warrior was crouching so near him that he could touch him byreaching out his hand. The young scout was possibly correct in hissurmise, for Rosa, who was next to him, was equally sure of the presenceof an enemy, the supposition, in her case, extending even further. Hereyes were fixed upon the spot where she believed she could detect a darkform stealing along on the ground, so near that she fancied he musttouch her dress. If she could see the Indian, she knew the eyes of thewarrior were keen enough to discover her presence, from which some ideaof the painful nature of her situation may be ascertained. 

The senses of the girl were preternaturally acute, and still more, shewas no less convinced that she could hear the breathing of the savage ashe crept slowly forward. Fortunately for her, this fearful strain uponher nerves could last but a few minutes. If the Indian should come to ahalt, she would take it as evidence that he had discovered the presenceof the fugitives, and she would give the alarm to her friends, but solong as he kept moving, ever so slowly, there was cause to hope he wasunaware of how close he was to the prize for which they were hunting. The dark form gradually passed from view, and a few minutes later thestraining vision of Rosa was unable to discover anything to excitealarm, although her ears, for several minutes after, apprised her thatsome of the dreaded figures were still making their way through theundergrowth dangerously near to her and her friends. 

It was, perhaps, a half hour more from the conclusion of the conferenceof the Iroquois that they got so far away from the spot that thefugitives felt as though the peril had lifted so that they could ventureto draw a deep breath and move a cramped limb. However, all waited awhile longer before they dared speak in the most cautious whisper, itbeing considered the duty of the whites to wait until Lena-Wingo tookthe initiative. Suddenly, in the gloom, it was noticed that the tallMohawk was standing perfectly erect, as though looking at something inthe direction of the river. He held this singular position a fewminutes, and then knelt to the earth and applied his ear to the ground. This was one of his favorite methods when in the immediate vicinity of afoe, and it rarely failed to add to his knowledge of the movements ofhis enemies. While he was thus occupied, his friends patiently waiteduntil he should be through and ready to direct them what to do. It didnot take him long; for, according to the plans he had heard agreed upon, every minute only added to the difficulty of the task he had taken uponhimself. 

"Stay here, " he whispered, his words being the first uttered since theycrouched down in this spot. "Lena-Wingo go way--soon come back--don'tmake noise. "

Every one wondered what the errand could be that should take the Mohawkaway at this critical moment, and Rosa ventured to ask him. 

"Why do you leave us, Lena-Wingo, when there is danger all around?"

"Won't go far--Lena-Wingo soon be back--stay right here. "

"We've been staying now till we're tired of it, and if you can findother quarters, I'm sure I will be better satisfied, for one. "

"Soon do so, " responded the scout, and without any more explanation hebegan a cautious withdrawal from their presence. All were desirous ofknowing what he was after, and they watched him as well as they could. This, of course, was only for an instant, but it was long enough to seethat he was going in the direction of the river, from which they hadretreated in so much haste. This fact led Clinton to suspect the trueerrand of the Mohawk the instant he started. He said nothing of hisbelief to his friends, however, as he had no wish to make a blunder, andthe truth would soon become apparent. All were so impressed with thegravity of the situation, that only a few syllables passed between themduring the absence of their leader. 

As the Indian was not to be seen the three listened with the keenestattention, hoping to gain something of the purpose of the Indian. Butthe silence could not have been more profound had they been the onlyliving creatures within a thousand miles. They could detect the softflow of the Susquehanna, only a few yards from where they were hiding inthe undergrowth. Once, too, the sound of a rifle broke upon their ears, but it seemed to be a full mile away, in the depths of the forest, andgave them no alarm, its only effect being to make the solemn stillnessmore solemn and impressive, and to inspire a feeling of loneliness thatwas almost painful. Once or twice a ripple of the water was heard, suchas might be supposed to come from the movement of an enemy stealingthrough the current, but each of the three knew it was not caused byfriend or foe. They had noticed the same thing many a time before, andknew it was caused by a drooping branch or projecting root, acted uponby the sluggish current which caused it to dip in and out of the stream. 

And so that which might have excited apprehension in another caused noalarm on the part of those whose experience in the woods had taught thembetter. At the end of ten minutes, perhaps, Ned Clinton detected aslight rustle at his side, and turning his head to learn the cause, found that Lena-Wingo had returned. 

CHAPTER XV. 

A DELICATE AND DANGEROUS TASK. 

Without using the broken language of the Mohawk scout, his mission maybe explained. While the conference between the Iroquois was under way, he detected sounds that told him a canoe had arrived amongthem--confirmed immediately after by the sound of the quarrel alreadyreferred to. The instant he became aware of this, he resolved to obtainpossession of the boat and appropriate it to his own use. Every reasonurged him to do this. One of the most powerfully exciting causes was thewish--natural to the white as well as the red man--to outwit hisenemies. To capture their canoe would be a brilliant winding up of theshrewd escape he had made from the parties on the water and land. Besides this, it had become plain that the only way to get across theSusquehanna was by using a craft equal in every respect to thoseemployed by his enemies. 

To venture out again in the scow would be to surrender to the Iroquois, and, as sharp as was the Mohawk, he could not but wonder that they wereenabled, as it was, to get back after putting out from shore, with allthe chances so against them. He supposed the redmen would leave theboat lying where it was, while they scattered up and down the shore tokeep watch for the fugitives, should they attempt to repeat theembarkation. As the scow was moored near to where the canoe was drawnup, it was to be expected that the Iroquois would hold that place andits vicinity under close watch. This rendered the task of the Mohawk oneof the most difficult in the world, and all the more relished on thataccount. Suffice it to say that he succeeded in reaching the spot, wherehe found one of the best canoes of his experience resting lightlyagainst the bank. A further examination of the craft told the Mohawkthat the boat was his own, having been stolen from a place up streamwhere he had left it, not suspecting it was in danger. 

Lena-Wingo was rather pleased than otherwise to learn this, forit was proof that, if he could secure possession of the littlevessel--abundantly able to contain all the party--he would havethe one of all others which he could manage with his own consummateskill. The paddle was there, only awaiting a claimant. But in making hisreconnoissance, Lena-Wingo ascertained that an Iroquois sentinel wasstationed within a dozen feet, where he was using his eyes and ears asonly a redskin knows how to use those organs. It was necessary to getthe canoe from beneath his nose before there was any prospect of escape, and the question was as to how this should be done. 

The Mohawk, with his usual perception, saw that the boat could not beentered at the point where it now lay, and he so informed his friends. His plan was to move it some twenty feet or more down stream, where itwould be beyond the range of the sentinel's vision. That accomplished, he looked upon the rest as a small matter. He instructed them, therefore, to steal as quietly as they could for about the distancenamed down stream, and there await him. This being understood, theybegan the cautious movement, while he went back to the still moredifficult task. 

It was an easy matter for the three whites to do as they were bidwithout betraying themselves, and it was done in perfect silence, afterwhich they resumed their waiting, watching, and listening. WhenLena-Wingo reached the river-side again, he found the Iroquois at hisstation, where he would be likely to detect the first design upon thecanoe. Then how was the latter to be used by the red scout? There was amethod that would have suggested itself to any one. That was the veryobvious plan of stealing up to the unconscious sentinel, and putting himout of the way so effectually that he could never disturb them more. 

The reason why the warrior hesitated to employ the method which hisenemies would have been only too glad to use against him was inobedience to that strange forbearance in his composition, and whichrendered him reluctant to shed blood, unless in legitimate warfare. There was not a particle of doubt that he could have stolen up to theguard and dispatched him before he could make a single outcry or apprisehis companions of what was going on. This would leave the coast clearfor him to take the whites aboard and use his own leisure to reach theother shore. But the scheme he had in his mind would leave the sentinelunharmed, while its after effect would be almost equal to death itself. This plan was to steal the canoe away without attracting the notice ofthe Iroquois--a proceeding which would be such a disgrace to the warriorthat he was likely to fare ill at the hands of his comrades, who wereexasperated over the failures already made. 

His course of action being decided upon, the Mohawk went at it with hisaccustomed caution and promptness. His rifle had been left in the handsof Ned Clinton so that his arms were untrammeled, and he entered thewater a short distance below where the boat was lying against the bank. Fortunately, the stream was deeper than he anticipated, rising to hiswaist when he was within a yard of the land. This gave him the facilityhe desired, as by stooping he was able to hide all but his head, whichwas so placed that the canoe, resting high upon the surface, was broughtbetween him and the sentinel. This concealed him from the sight of thewarrior, and gave him the shelter so indispensable. It then required buta minute to make his way through the water to the stern of the canoe, which he cautiously grasped. 

All depended upon the skill with which he managed this part of thescheme. If the Iroquois should suspect any such attempt, the suspicionwas sure to defeat it. After placing his hand upon the rear gunwale, hepaused for fully a minute and listened. The stillness remainedundisturbed, and it looked as if the way were clear for the daringattempt. At the very instant that Lena-Wingo began to exert a gentlyincreasing pressure, his keen sense of hearing told him the sentinel wasmoving, and the scout paused before the frail boat had yielded to theforce. 

The Iroquois was approaching the canoe, as if he suspected mischief. 

The boat itself was no quieter than the Mohawk, as he listened to theadvance of his enemy. He could tell what the latter was doing as well asif he were looking directly at him. He knew he was picking his way towhere the boat was lying, and a minute after, had paused within arm'slength of the same. There he stood while the Mohawk awaited his nextmove. 

If the sentinel should step into the craft, it would show that heintended to look over the stern, in which case the Mohawk held himselfready to sink below the surface, coming up so far out in the stream thathe would be invisible. But if the Iroquois really suspected any such actupon the part of the great enemy of his tribe, his fears were removed bythe utter silence. After waiting a little longer, he returned to hisformer position with the same caution and silence as before. Lena-Wingohardly paused until he was out of the way, when he drew a little harderupon the stern, and felt it slowly yielding to the force. A few moreminutes of undisturbed action, and he was sure of having the canoe justwhere he wanted it!

CHAPTER XVI. 

IROQUOIS AGAINST IROQUOIS. 

Slowly and evenly, as the shadow steals along the face of the dial, didthe Mohawk draw the canoe from its resting place on the dark bank of theriver. One might have stood and gazed directly at it for ten minuteswithout suspecting what was going on, it being only when he compared itssituation with what it was a short time before that the difference waslikely to be noticed. If the Iroquois sentinel should be on the alertfor some such strategy on the part of the Mohawk, who was known to allas one of the most cunning of his race, it would seem that the trick wasimpossible. But there was every reason to hope that he did not suspectit, as his action in returning to his first station after the briefexamination, showed, and the Mohawk acted on this belief. 

The retrograde movement, once started, was not abated till the boat wasdrawn clear of the shore and floated free in the water. Then, withoutshifting its position as regarded the bank itself, the motion wascontinued down the current, until some eight or a dozen feet werepassed. The hopes of Lena-Wingo were high, for the fact that thesentinel had failed to discover what was going on under his very eyesindicated that his suspicions were turned in another direction. Evenshould he detect the change of position on the part of the boat, therewas reason to hope he would attribute it to the action of the current, for the motion of the craft was made to imitate such progression by thecunning Mohawk. 

Something like half the distance was accomplished, when Lena-Wingo madea change in his own position. Instead of remaining at the stern of thecanoe as he had done before, he changed to the side, so that he couldappear at the front or rear the moment the necessity arose. The reasonfor this step was that he had progressed so far that he was determinedthere should be no failure. The experiment had in his eyes been anassured success. If the Iroquois should appear and attempt to interfere, Lena-Wingo would meet him half way, and dispose of him for all time tocome. Fortunately for the sentinel, he seemed to be unusually obtusethat night, and allowed the daring scheme to be carried out under hisvery nose, without objection on his part. 

The motion of the canoe was not hastened in the least, but continued inthe same steady, uninterrupted manner till the point was reached wherethe fugitives were anxiously awaiting the success of the plan of thescout. The first indication the latter received of what was done, andthe approach of the Mohawk, was his cautious "'Sh!" uttered just loudenough to reach their ears. Not one of the three had been able to detectthe slightest sound that indicated what the scout was doing, soskillfully had he conducted the whole affair. Ned returned the almostinaudible exclamation to apprise their friend that they were expectinghim. A minute later, the Mohawk appeared among them with the silence ofa shadow. 

"All here?" was his rather curious question. 

"All here, " replied Ned. 

"Boat ready--come along--make no noise. "

The four stole forward after the manner of those who knew their livesdepended upon perfect silence, and they succeeded in reaching the sideof the stream without alarming the sentinel, who still held a positiondangerously near the fugitives. Rosa was the first to enter, and shetook her place in the extreme end, there being no difference between thebow and stern of such a craft. Immediately after her came Ned, whoplaced himself as close to her as possible. Then followed the Mohawk, paddle in hand, Jo Minturn locating himself in the prow, so as to givethe Mohawk the best position in which to manage the craft, and to "trimship, " as the expression goes. 

This was as the red scout wanted matters arranged; and when he graspedthe paddle it was with a greater confidence than he had felt at any timeduring the night. But he had entered upon one of the most perilousattempts conceivable, and he was sure the trick would be detected withinthe succeeding five minutes. In fact, it was discovered in less thanthat time; for he had no more than fairly dipped the oar in the waterthan he heard a low, vibrating whoop from the spot where the Mohawk wasstationed. That sound, as Lena-Wingo well knew, meant danger, and wasintended as a signal for his companions to hasten to the spot--a signalthat was sure to be promptly obeyed when more than a half dozen were onthe alert and waiting for just such a call. It was so distinct that thewhites accepted it as evidence that their flight was discovered, andpursuit was sure to follow. 

Rosa was much frightened, for she felt they had gone so far that theycould not return, and it was a question whether they would reach theother side of the river in safety, or be captured on the stream itself, with the probabilities in favor of the latter. Everything depended uponthe skill and sagacity of the Mohawk, who showed himself equal to theoccasion. At the same instant that the sound mentioned reached his ear, he dipped his paddle deep into the water, and sent the canoe, with onepowerful sweep, several rods down the bank, keeping so close to the landthat the leaves of the overhanging limbs brushed the heads of theoccupants, and compelled them to duck their heads. This done, he allowedthe boat to rest, while he listened to learn what his enemies weredoing. The sounds that fell upon his ear told him the flight of the boathad been detected, and there could be no doubt that the whole force ofIroquois would be engaged in the hunt in the next few minutes. Withoutspeaking, he dipped the paddle again, and the canoe was driven as faras before down the stream; but, in this instance, he did not permit itto rest, continuing the process until he had gone fully a hundred yardsfrom his starting point. This done, he considered he had reached thepoint where he could make a change in the direction, and he headedboldly out into the river, aiming for the other shore, which had beentheir destination so long, and which he was determined to make thistime. 

The skill with which he controlled and swayed the ashen blade waswonderful. The night was still, without a breath of air stirring thetree-tops, but the instant the boat left the cover of the bank, thefaces of the whites were swept as if by a gale. At that rate, the othershore would be made in a very short time, and the action of the Mohawkindicated that such was his purpose, guided, perhaps, by the hope thatit might be done before the alarm could reach those grouped on thatside. 

But they were as vigilant as the ones who had made the discovery of theflight, and a whoop that came from some point ahead warned the Mohawkthat the passage was not to be as uneventful as he expected. The worstof it was, the reply heard by all in the canoe came from immediately infront, so that they had only to keep on in the direction in which theywere going to run straight into ambush. At this time the fugitives werenear the middle of the Susquehanna, the night being so dark that theywere invisible to any upon either shore, and they were hardly liable todiscovery unless some of their enemies should start out upon the riverin quest of them. It was obviously the duty of the Mohawk to hold thatposition, and move up or down stream, as might seem best. The whitessupposed he would continue down the current, but, to their surprise, heheaded straight against it, and sped upward with astonishing speed. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

AT LAST!

Up to that time the fugitives, although steadily drifting down stream, seemed to keep directly in the way of the parties whom they were seekingto avoid; for, no matter where they headed, or at what point they aimed, they were sure to find some of the Iroquois waiting to receive them. Itlooked, indeed, as if the redmen were shrewd enough to make allowancefor this fact, judging from the way the attempt turned out in eachinstance. It was the purpose of Lena-Wingo, in heading up stream, tobreak through this chain that seemed thrown around them, and thereappeared no other way of doing it. 

Neither to the right nor left turned he, but swinging his paddlepowerfully and noiselessly, he drove the deeply-laden canoe against thecurrent with a force that sent the water foaming from the prow, the softwash and rustle of the current being the only noise that marked thisbird-like flight. Going at such a rate, he did not need much time topass over considerable space, and he was still forging ahead in the sameswift fashion when he caught the sound of another paddle. This, then, was proof that the pursuers did not care to wait till the fugitivesshould land, but had sent some of their warriors out to search for them. 

Lena-Wingo recognized the sound as coming from the shore which he meantto reach, but at some distance below them, which fact was proof of hiswisdom in taking the course he did. He kept up his flight without theleast cessation, and had every reason to hope that the Iroquois wereoutwitted, when he was more angered than alarmed by hearing the sweep ofstill another paddle--this time coming from a point above where he was, but on the same side of the river as the former. The Iroquois weremaking the hunt hotter than he anticipated. The Mohawk stopped paddlingand looked around in the gloom that shut down on every hand, for therewas cause to expect the appearance of other boats, and it was necessaryto watch where his own craft was going. 

"We have got along very well so far, " said Jo, who, not having noticedthe evidence of their pursuit, supposed their friend had merely pausedto take his bearings. 

"Pretty well, " assented the Mohawk, speaking in the lowest key andscanning the stream in every direction. 

"Do you think they know where we are?" continued the young scout. 

"Know we on river--they find us. "

Upon hearing these alarming words, Rosa Minturn straightened up andpeered anxiously about, impelled thereto by the manner, more than theutterance, of the leader. 

"I think I hear the sound of another paddle, " she said in a whisper, turning inquiringly to the Indian. 

"Yes, two boats on water; looking for us; maybe find us. "

"In which direction is this last one that Rosa noticed, and which I alsohear?" asked Ned Clinton, in the same guarded tone. 

Lena-Wingo answered by pointing toward the shore a little above a spotopposite where they were lying in the stream. 

"Right there--he go 'bout--look for us. "

"Yes, and I see him, too!" added Rosa, the next instant. 

"There he come!" added the Mohawk, making the discovery at the samemoment. "Stoop down, quick! must not see you! Put head low down, socan't see you--make no noise. "

His command was obeyed at once. The other canoe having approached nearenough to be seen itself, was sure to discover the boat. The heads ofNed Clinton and of the brother and sister were instantly lowered, sothat they could not be seen from the outside, and they waited withthrobbing hearts for the issue. The occupants of the strange boatdescried the Mohawk almost as soon as he saw them, and as he expectedthey headed straight toward him. The action of Lena-Wingo depended forsuccess on its very boldness, and he went at it with as much coolnessand self-possession as if failure was impossible. 

Lena-Wingo, being a Mohawk, was also an Iroquois, as much as if he werea member of the Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, or Seneca branch of thepowerful confederation known as the Six Nations. His intention was toassume the character of a genuine enemy of the white race, and to answerwhatever questions were put to him in a way to mislead their foes. Still, this trick had been played so often by him, that it required allthe skill of which he was master. It was necessary also that he shouldnot permit the strange canoe to come too near, else the deception wouldbe detected. 

As the boat drew nigh, he kept up a slight movement of his paddle, whichcaused the craft to glide in a slanting direction from the other. 

"Where are the pale faces?" asked one of the four Iroquois who sat inthe new boat, while the couple were separated by two or three rods. 

"How should Magawan know?" asked the Mohawk in return, in a surly voice, as if angry that the question was put to him. "The warriors on the landare squaws, and they do not know how to look for the traitor and thepale faces. They have let them go again. "

These words were spoken in the Indian tongue, the accent as clear asthat of those who addressed him. There was truth and sense in whatLena-Wingo said, for it was this very suspicion that the Indians werenot doing as well as they should that led to the canoe being launchedfrom the other side. 

"But they called to us that Lena-Wingo was on the river in a canoe, "said one of the new-comers, sidling up toward the Mohawk, who was ascautiously sidling away from him. 

"They spoke the truth if they said the pale faces have gone off again. Iam looking for them. "

"Why does Magawan look for them this way?"

"To find them, " was the quick response. "Are you searching for them?"

"We have been sent out by Taunwaso, the great chief of the Oneidas, tofind Lena-Wingo, the traitor, and the whites. "

"Why don't you find them, then? If they are not here they are somewhereelse. Go there and find them. "

And, as if he were tired of the conversation, the Mohawk dipped hispaddle lower than before, and deliberately paddled away from hisquestioners. The surliness of the repulse made it quite effective, andthe four Iroquois sat for several minutes as if undecided what theyought to do after such an interview. 

Lena-Wingo knew that he was in great peril, for he believed from thefirst that the others were not satisfied with the appearance of things. He shaped his action on the supposition that they would speedily detectthe trick and start in pursuit. He kept up the river until he had gonefar enough to screen his movements, when he made a sharp bend in thecourse he was following, and headed for the bank on his right. There wasanother canoe that was also hunting for them, as will be remembered, and, in case these two should meet, the whole truth would become knownat once. Lena-Wingo was not mistaken in his suspicion that he heard thetwo boats at the same time, showing that they were not only very near, but drawing nearer every minute. 

While the Mohawk was paddling in this fashion, striving to make hislanding-place as far up stream as he could, he knew the two canoes hadjoined and that the hottest kind of a hunt was on foot. But there wasnot a great deal of water between him and the shore, and he quickly madeit still less. 

"Raise head now--make no noise!" he said, as the water foamed again fromthe bow of the canoe. 

As the fugitives obeyed, they saw they were close to the bank, and thelimbs of the overhanging trees were within their reach. Lena-Wingo keptalong the shore for some distance further, when one turn of the paddlesent the canoe in so sharply against the bank that it stuck fast, andall were forced forward by the sudden stoppage. The Susquehanna wascrossed at last. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE SOUTHEASTERN SHORE. 

The Mohawk felt that he had accomplished a great feat in the taking ofthe canoe before the very eyes of the Iroquois sentinel set to watch itand in successfully eluding the pursuit of the others. But the dangerwas not yet disposed of, for, at the moment the fugitives stepped fromthe canoe, the other two crafts were in swift pursuit, the occupantshaving learned the trick played upon them by the wily Mohawk. Althoughthe canoe of the latter was invisible, yet they were well aware of thedirection taken, and could not avoid a pretty accurate guess as to thedestination of the occupants. Thus it was that they headed almost in adirect line for the precise point where the fugitives landed, and werenot much behind them in reaching the spot. 

The majority of persons, in making such a flight, would have started forthe depths of the forest without an instant's delay, but the Mohawkperpetrated a little piece of strategy which proved of inestimablebenefit to him and his friends. At the moment they stepped from the boathe seized the latter in a strong grasp and gave it a powerful impulsethat sent it far out and down the stream. Although their pursuers werecoming up rapidly, yet they were not quite in sight, and in the briefinterval that must elapse before they could catch a glimpse of the emptycraft, the purpose of Lena-Wingo was perfected. An exultant whoop fromone of the pursuing canoes told of the discovery of the drifting boat, whose occupants had effected a landing but a second or two before. Butthe craft which caused the outcry was several rods below the spot whereit had touched the land, and the fugitives themselves were still furtherremoved from the water's edge, stealing along in the darkness of thewoods from the Iroquois who were hastily gathering to the spot, apprisedby a dozen signals of what had taken place. 

The Indian, telling his friends to keep on the move and make no noise, remained in the rear, to learn what his foes intended to do. He saw thetwo canoes halt for a moment beside the empty boat, as if they wished tomake sure that it held none of the party for whom they were hunting, and then they shot their own craft in to the shore, leaving the other todrift aimlessly down the river. The two which struck the bank did so ata point something more than a rod below where the other landing hadtaken place. There they met quite a number of others who came down fromthe woods, where they had been signaling to and answering calls fromthose across the stream. Then followed a wrangle, with the same prospectof conflict that occurred at no great time before. The provocation inthe latter instance was much greater than in the former, for thefugitives had slipped through the hands of the Iroquois in the mostexasperating manner. But there seemed, also, to be the identicallevel-headed ones, who were backed by an authority sufficient to compelthe fiery warriors to keep the peace. The storm of passion subsidedalmost as soon as it rose. 

Lena-Wingo was desirous of learning what the party, as a whole, woulddo, now that it was clear that the fugitives had succeeded in crossingthe Susquehanna in spite of all the preparations to prevent it; but thewarriors gathered around were so numerous and began to spread out insuch a fashion, that his position became untenable, and he found it noeasy matter to get out of his rather uncomfortable quarters and torejoin his companions, who were awaiting him some little distance off. All were in high spirits over the success of the strategy of the Mohawk, but they could not shut their eyes to the fact that in one sense theyhad crossed the Rubicon. As there was no turning back, they must pressforward. 

With many whispered congratulations over the discomfiture of theIroquois, the fugitives hurried forward until they reached the spotwhere they felt free to say what they chose without danger of beingheard by their pursuers. The Mohawk was at the head of the little partyand conducted them to the edge of a large clear space, where grain hadbeen growing. As there was every convenience for sitting down andenjoying a comfortable rest, they paused, and for the first time thatnight felt the pleasure of knowing that there was nothing to be fearedfrom the Tories and Indians. 

"Lena-Wingo, you're a brick!" exclaimed Jo Minturn, taking the libertyof slapping the grim Indian a resounding blow on the back. "I couldn'thave done that thing better if I had taken the contract myself. "

The guide did not resent this familiarity, though at times it would haveoffended him. 

"Iroquois get mad, " he replied, with his usual grin. "When Iroquois getmad, then Lena-Wingo get glad. "

"Yes; I suspect you were inclined that way, from what I've heard of yourdealings with those people. "

"Recollect that we haven't reached Wilkesbarre yet, " put in Rosa, "andit isn't wise to rejoice until we're well out of the woods. It seems tome that the hardest part of the work still lies before us. "

"Gal speak right, " assented the Mohawk, with an approving nod. "Iroquoisall round--look everywhere. "

"It strikes me that is what they've been doing for the past few days, "added Jo, who was not to be discouraged. "But they haven't made asuccess of it, so far. "

"It seems to me, " said Ned, addressing Jo, but meaning his words forLena-Wingo, "that when the approaches to Wilkesbarre are guarded soclosely it will be wiser for us to go somewhere else. "

This scheme had been freely discussed by the two young scouts, and theyhad arranged that it should be introduced in this manner for the purposeof learning the views of the Mohawk. 

"I have thought of the same thing, " replied Jo, as if it were the firsttime it had been mentioned in his hearing. "And it does look as if it isrisking a great deal to push right through the woods in this way, whenthere are hundreds of other paths by which we can escape the Iroquois. "

"It would be a good trick on Colonel Butler, when he has arranged hisredskins and Tories so that he is sure we will walk right into theirhands, for him to learn that we have gone somewhere else. "

"It can be done, " said Jo, carrying out the plan fixed upon some timebefore. "We have already shown them that there is no use of their tryingto stop us, when we have made up our minds to do something, --I meanLena-Wingo more than us, --and so we can afford to retire and leave themto themselves. "

"If they can't stop us, " said Rosa, "what, then, is the use of acting asthough they had done so?"

"See here, " said her brother, turning rather sharply, "I thought Ned andI had arranged without your help. "

Not one of the three imagined that Lena-Wingo was quick enough to takethe cue from what was thus said by Jo, but such was the case. The Mohawkheld his peace and listened, but he was not deceived. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE MOHAWK OBJECTS. 

"I forgot, " Rosa answered, laughingly; "but you must try to put a littlemore logic in what you say. "

"Logic!" repeated the young man. "What does a woman know about logic?However, we will discuss that some other time. Just now I'm busy withthe new idea of Ned's. There's a good deal in what you said, " he added, addressing his companion again, "and the more I consider it, the morefavorably am I inclined. We can continue up the Susquehanna till we goso far that there's no danger from the Indians, and, when we believe theway is clear, we can come back. Colonel Butler is not going to stay longat Wyoming, for he dare not. He don't know how soon there will be agathering of the forces that will swoop down on him, and he'll get outwhile he can. Consequently all we have to do is to remain invisibleuntil he leaves. "

"Nothing easier in the world, " was the prompt remark of Ned, backing uphis friend. "Jack, here, can keep out of their reach with no trouble. Itwould be a great relief to your parents, too, to know that Rosa is notrunning such a risk as it will be to try to get into the fort atWilkesbarre. "

"How angry Butler will be!" exclaimed Jo, with as much zest as if he sawthe villain tearing his hair on account of his disappointment. 

The plan of the young scouts was pretty well unfolded by this time, sothat both were satisfied the Mohawk knew what the opinions were, and wasable to give his own for the asking. Calm consideration of theproposition of the friends and companions must lead one to speak of themfavorably. Colonel Butler knew that the fugitives were aiming forWilkesbarre, and had taken every precaution to secure their capture. Nothing could be more certain than that they could not enter, nor evenapproach within range of the fortifications of that place, withoutencountering some of these redmen or Tories. It would seem, therefore, that the most foolhardy thing for the whites to do was to persevere inthe effort to reach that place in the face of such danger. There wereplenty of other directions that could be taken, and the plan suggestedby the youths in their brief conversation was only one of the many thatsuggested themselves whenever they thought of the subject. Jo Minturn, believing their wishes had been sufficiently uncovered by what had beensaid, now addressed himself directly to the Mohawk:

"Lena-Wingo, you heard what we said; now I should like to know what youthink of it. "

"Nonsense. "

There it was! an opinion about which there could be no misunderstanding. There was enough moonlight for the young scouts to see each other'sfaces, and they stared in blank dismay. The next thing they did was tolook at Rosa, who was trying hard to restrain her laughter. 

"You ought to be satisfied, " she said, "without scowling at me that way;you asked Lena-Wingo what he thought of your plans, which you and Nedfixed up between you, and he told you in one word. "

"That's the trouble; he didn't take quite as many words as we would haveliked to hear. If he had talked the whole thing over, we would havegained a chance to argue, and perhaps convince him. "

The Mohawk, as a matter of course, heard all that passed between hisfriends, and he seemed to think the time had come for him to put in anadditional word or two. 

"All nonsense, " he said, by way of introducing the subject. "TheIroquois say Lena-Wingo shan't go to Wilkesbarre--all lie--Lena-Wingo_will_ go there--Iroquois say Lena-Wingo shan't take gal there--alllie--_will_ take gal there--Iroquois say Lena-Wingo run away fromBrandt--all lie--_never_ run away. "

These broken sentences contained the secret of the Mohawk's course ofaction. It had now become a matter of pride with him, and since theTories and Indians had made such elaborate preparations to prevent thefugitives reaching Wilkesbarre, he was fired by the resolve that thelines should be passed through, and the maiden placed safely behind thefortifications at that town. In making this determination he did notforget the interests of Rosa. He knew what he was doing, and was surethat he could accomplish it with safety to her, though he felt therewas a possible doubt about running the two young men through theenvironing danger. 

He saw, as well as his companions, that the plan proposed by them wasattended with little danger, but when a scheme was in that shape it lostall attraction for him. To escape the Iroquois by dodging or running wasattended, in his estimation, with a certain ignominy that made itrepulsive to him. He was naturally elated in reflecting how neatly hehad just outwitted them, and that fact was not calculated to lessen hisconfidence in his own prowess. 

"Well, Lena-Wingo, " said Jo, when the ripple of fun had died out, "youseem to have made up your mind on the subject, and I suppose there is nouse of arguing with you. "

"No use, " was the response of the Indian. 

"If that's the case, " added Ned, "we may as well dismiss it, and findout what is to be done. "

"Go to Wilkesbarre, " said the Mohawk, as if he were determined thereshould be no misunderstanding of his position. 

"I understand that, but the night must be pretty well gone, and it won'tdo for us to sit here for two or three days, so I would like to knowwhat the next step is to be. "

Ned Clinton expressed the wish that was on the tongue of his twofriends, and they listened eagerly to the reply. The Indian straightenedup his form, so that his slim, tall figure looked slimmer and tallerthan ever, and he took a minute or two to gaze into the gloom beforeanswering. 

"We go back yonder, " he said, pointing in the direction of the mountainswhich form the southeastern boundary of the valley of Wyoming. "We goyonder--stay there--find way to go to Wilkesbarre. "

The whites correctly interpreted this as meaning that he believed itprudent, in view of the fact that the direct approach to the place wasso closely watched, to use some strategy to secure an entrance, thepoint in his mind being merely to beat the Iroquois, without consideringthe means by which it was done. In the range of mountains stretching tothe southeast of the valley, where the Mohawk had taken Rosa many a timeon a hunt, were numerous places offering secure hiding for the fugitivesfrom the hunt of the enemies. It was the intention of Lena-Wingo toconduct his friends to that neighborhood, as he explained further, andthen look over and watch the ground so carefully that he could commit nomistake when he did make his move. So soon as he should see the wayclear, he would take Rosa to the shelter before the Tories and Indianscould learn what he was trying to do. 

Lena-Wingo spoke with so much quiet confidence that his listeners couldnot but feel something of the same spirit. As for Rosa, she favored hisplan, and so expressed herself. The Indian had made his resolve beforethat, but he was as firm as the rock of Gibraltar, reinforced by herendorsement. 

CHAPTER XX. 

THE LONGEST WAY HOME. 

The little party of fugitives occupied the position on the margin of thegrain-field for an hour or so longer, discussing the past and arrangingtheir plans for the immediate future. As they had the time, the Mohawktook pains to explain some of his movements made on the other side ofthe river, and also when they were engaged in stealing across, whichmovements none of the party understood at the time. It was necessary atthis stage of the proceedings for all to comprehend as fully as possiblethe plans that were now to be followed in the game, where the stakeswere life itself. 

Lena-Wingo assured them that with the coming of daylight the Iroquoiswould use every exertion to capture them, as it had also become a matterof pride on their part to outwit the Mohawk, with whom they were reallymaking the fight. Some of them would hunt and follow the trail of theparty, and every approach to the Wilkesbarre fortifications would beguarded by their best warriors. Such being the case, Ned and Jo weremore convinced than ever that their plan of giving up this method waswise, but they said nothing, for they knew it was useless. 

While they were talking the growing light in the eastern horizonapprised them that day was near, and that it was unsafe to wait longer. All instantly rose to their feet, looking upon the face of the warriorfor direction as to what they were to do. Before he could speak, thesound of a rifle was heard, causing a start of alarm on the part of hiscompanions. The latter noticed that the direction of the report was fromthe river, and, as it seemed, from the very spot where they had left it. 

"What is the meaning of that?" asked Ned. "Can it have--"

Bang! bang! bang! came several other reports in quick succession, showing that something serious was going on. Every voice was hushed, andthey looked in each other's faces, and then stared at the Mohawk as ifthey would read the explanation in his painted countenance. At the firstglance there was nothing that could give them a clue on those bronzedfeatures, as seen in the early light of the morning. The Indian wasalso listening and waiting till he could hear and learn more beforesaying anything. The firing lasted until it sounded as if a skirmish wasgoing on close at hand. Could it be that a party of fugitive patriotswas engaged in a fight with a lot of Tories and Indians?

When the firing had continued in a desultory way for several minutes, the whites caught the sound of whoops, showing that the redmen had apart in the trouble. The instant these cries fell on the ears of theMohawk, his dark face lit up with a gleam of satisfaction, theexpression of delight being noticed by all. 

"What is it, Lena-Wingo?" asked Rosa. "Are they Iroquois and white folksthat are fighting?"

"No, not that. "

"What then?"

"Iroquois fighting Iroquois. "

So his wish was granted, after all. The warriors had fallen into battleamong themselves, with a sure benefit to the fugitives. Hence it wasnatural that the Mohawk, after being disappointed twice on the precedingnight, should listen to the sounds of the strife with genuine pleasure. It looked as if with the coming of daylight the Iroquois had discoveredthat some of their number had blundered in the hunt for the Mohawk in away that could not be forgiven. A deadly quarrel was the result, withthe certainty that more than one of their bravest warriors would bitethe dust before it could be terminated, even by the chiefs and leadersthemselves. The fight lasted but a short time, for it was a fierce fire, which must exhaust itself speedily for want of fuel. 

The Mohawk, however, heard enough to convince him that execution hadbeen done, and his rejoicing was not interfered with through any fearthat it had been quieted down as were the other two impendingdisturbances. But the morning was advancing, and the hours were asprecious to the fugitives as to the Iroquois. The probabilities werethat the revengeful enemies would soon be on their track, and the whiteshad but to remain where they were a short time longer to fall into theirhands. 

At the moment the noise of the conflict between the Indians ceased, Lena-Wingo, who had maintained the standing position from the first, moved off in a southerly course, looking around as a signal for hiscompanions to follow him. They were heading toward the range ofmountains which bounded the Wyoming valley on the southeast, and whichloomed up dark and frowning in the gray mist of the early morning. 

This route led them over cultivated ground and through woods, where itseemed to the whites they might halt and find all the shelter they couldneed. But the Mohawk pressed straight on, his destination being themountains themselves. The guide of the party kept away from thecultivated portions of the valley as much as possible, for it wasdangerous to approach any body of men, or the places where they werelikely to be found. Lena-Wingo was in his own territory, and it was hisintention to manage the business without asking for or accepting anysuggestions from his friends. 

The company had advanced something like a half mile when the morning wasfairly upon them--another of those clear, mild summer days common tothis latitude at that season of the year. They were approaching risingground, and soon began ascending to a higher level than that which theyhad been treading for some time. The Indian still stuck to the forest, for he felt a confidence in its shadows such as the open country couldnot afford. 

While progressing in this manner it was noticed by the youths that heled them over as rough and stony paths as possible, and that at the sametime he stepped as carefully as he knew how--no doubt with the purposeof hiding their tracks from the too curious Iroquois. 

Lena-Wingo evinced no objections to his companions talking together asthey picked their way along, provided they kept their voices below"concert pitch"--a precaution which they were sure to remember, in viewof what they had passed through so recently. For all that, the Mohawkadvanced with a confidence which at times resembled recklessness, andNed Clinton more than once was on the point of remonstrating with him. But he held his peace, through fear of offending him. The journey wascontinued in this fashion, the party walking quite rapidly until theywere well into the rising ground of the mountains, when a halt was made. 

It was a good omen that the whites had been able to go thus far withoutencountering any of the Iroquois, and they were not a little cheeredthereby. But the fact remained--and it took somewhat from theirrejoicing--that they were further from Wilkesbarre at the time ofhalting than they were at starting. It was because they had gone awayfrom instead of toward their destination that accounted for theirimmunity from disturbance. Still, it is the longest way home which isoften the surest, and the Mohawk, in conducting his companions in thatdirection, was only carrying out a plan which he had formed while on theother side of the Susquehanna, and of which this was but the preliminarystep. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

A CURIOUS DISCOVERY. 

"Stay here, " said the Mohawk, as soon as they halted; "Lena-Wingo golook for Iroquois--soon be back--don't go away--don't make noise, listen--watch, don't go away. "

"But suppose some of them come down upon us, Jack?" asked Ned, determined to understand the situation as fully as possible. 

"Keep out way--won't come down--stay away. "

"Well, if you are enough satisfied to give me a written guarantee, that's all there is about it. How long do you expect to be gone?"

"Not long--soon be back. "

This was not very definite, but it was all the Mohawk would say, andwithout any more words he took his departure, walking back over thetrail which they had been following since leaving the river. 

"I can't understand why he is sure that no one will make a call on uswhile he is gone, " said Jo Minturn to Ned, as the three once moreseated themselves, this time on a fallen tree. 

"The only reason that suggests itself to me is that he believes we areso far off the track of the Iroquois that the only possibility that canlead them this way is by their discovering our trail, and if theyattempt that, they will run against him, as he is going backward overit. "

"That seems to be a pretty good reason, but he may miss it, nevertheless. There may not be much danger of an invasion from any otherdirection, and yet there's no telling, either, from what point of thecompass these wretches may come. "

"You ought to have explained all that, " said Rosa. "I am quite sure thatLena-Wingo would be grateful for all the instruction you can give him inthe ways of the woods. But you know he is so much younger than you, andhas had so little experience, that you must be charitable, and not judgehim too harshly. "

Jo laughed and shook his head at his sister, who persisted in "touching"him up on every occasion. 

"As we are to stay here indefinitely, " said Ned, "there can be no harmin taking an observation and learning something for ourselves. "

"How are we to do it?" asked his friend. 

Ned pointed to the towering trees which stood on every hand. 

"Climb up among those branches; what better outlook can one ask than hecan get among those limbs?"

"What a nice target a man would be, too, if an Indian should catch sightof him!" said Rosa, as she looked up at the leaves gently swaying in theslight morning breeze. "But after what Lena-Wingo said, I don't thinkthere's much to be feared of that, and I look upon your idea as a goodone, Edward. "

"If my sister considers the idea a good one, " said Jo, "that settles it, and you need have no further fear. "

"Of course not, " was the prompt assent of Ned, who moved to the treewhich he had selected as his lookout. 

As there was a remote possibility that some such a contingency as theone intimated by their fair companion might occur, Jo and Rosa stationedthemselves beneath the tree to guard against surprise, Jo holding hisgun ready, while Ned left his own piece in the hands of Rosa, who, should the occasion arise, knew how to employ it effectively. It wasthe work of a few minutes for the athletic young man to make his way tothe top of the tree, which was one of the tallest in the neighborhood, and gave him the opportunity he wished. Ned remembered the words ofRosa, which, uttered in jest as they were, contained a good deal ofsense. While making his way among the limbs, he frequently paused andcarefully scrutinized the ground below, on the lookout for lurkingIndians. 

The most rigid scrutiny failed to reveal anything alarming, and reachingas high a point as was prudent, he settled himself among the luxuriantbranches, and then, like the shipwrecked mariner, looked long andsearchingly over the waste around him. 

Peering to the northward, from his elevated perch, Ned saw the stretchof woods, cultivated fields, the broad, smoothly-flowing Susquehanna, with the faint view of the ruins of Fort Wintermoot and of Forty Fortbeyond. The view was a lovely one, as seen in the clear sunlight of thissummer morning, and it was hard to realize that the fair vale had beendesecrated within so brief a time by the merciless white and red men, who had not yet left the valley. No wonder that the beauties of thisenchanting spot have drawn the tribute of the poets of the Old and NewWorld. 

Ned Clinton had often gazed on the attractions of his native vale, andhe appreciated them always, but he restrained the admiration which hemight have felt at any other time. The first glance over the extendedscene failed to discover any signs of life; but when he had lookedagain, he detected the figure of a canoe crossing the river, thedistance making it appear but a speck, while the number of occupants wasindistinguishable. To the southwest, almost in the line of theSusquehanna, he observed a black cloud resting like a smirch of dirtagainst a clear, blue sky. This, he had no doubt, was the smoke fromsome conflagration of the night before. 

The little primitive town of Wilkesbarre, with its rude fortifications, lay also along the bank of the river, but owing to some interveningtrees of tall growth, standing close to the fort, the view in thatdirection was not as complete as in others. Having scanned the outerboundaries of the field, Ned attended to those portions which lay nearerto him. It was a long time before he could fix upon any spot thatpromised to give him information of friend or foe. Nothing could beseen of Lena-Wingo, who was pursuing his investigations in his own way, and was not likely to return until he had accomplished something uponwhich to base an intelligent course of action. But by and by, as theyouth was scanning a point two or three hundred yards away, his eye fellupon something which promised to give him the very knowledge he wasseeking. 

In an open space at the distance mentioned, he observed a large flatrock, which had nothing peculiar in its appearance, but which, it wasevident, was being used by some one as a means of concealment, while hein turn took a survey of the young man in the tree. Ned was under theimpression that no matter how much he played the sentinel, he wasinvisible to all outsiders that might be attempting to steal toward himand his friends. It happened that he glanced directly at the object atthe moment that a man, whose dress showed him to be of the same race asthe young scout, rose to his feet, stood a second or two, and thendropped down out of sight again. His action was such as a man would makewhen he suspected that some one else was trying to obtain a closerscrutiny than was agreeable. Ned was not a little puzzled by what hewitnessed. He looked down to his friends, and spoke in a carefulundertone:

"Keep a sharp lookout; I have discovered something which I want to studya while. "

"All right, " called back Jo; "manage your end of the rope as you ought, and we'll take care of ours. "

Left thus free, the sentinel devoted himself to the task of watching themovements of the stranger, and learning what his intentions were inconducting himself in the manner described. 

"He can't get away from where he is without my seeing him, " was thereflection of the watcher, "and if he means mischief, I shall detect itin time to prevent his hurting us. "

The stranger at this period was invisible, as he must continue to be solong as he kept behind the rock; but it was hardly likely that he wouldstay there long. 

"It may be he is some fugitive like ourselves, " added young Clinton, "and he doesn't feel certain enough of our identity as yet to trusthimself within reach. "

CHAPTER XXII. 

ANOTHER FUGITIVE. 

At the end of five or ten minutes Ned Clinton, with his eyes fixed uponthe broad, flat rock, was sure he saw the figure of a man behind it. Itwas only the top of his head, thrust a little above the edge of thestone, as if the stranger were seeking a view of the one who waswatching him without his purpose being detected. The slouched hat andthe eyes and forehead were in plain sight for a minute or two, when theysank down again and all was as before. 

"If he is a friend, " thought Ned, "he is very timid, or he has a queerway of showing his good will. "

The distance between the two was too great for either to do anything inthe way of shooting, but the youth was inclined to send a rifle shot inthat direction, as a challenge for the strange craft to come out andshow its colors. 

He called down to Jo again, to watch for the approach of any foe, for hewas compelled to give close attention to this particular stranger, andanother might steal up beneath the very tree without the one in thebranches detecting his danger. In this way nearly an hour passed withoutany change in the situation, and the fugitives began to look for thereturn of the Mohawk, he having promised not to stay away long. 

"I wish he would come, " said the watchman, to himself, "for it wouldn'ttake him a great while to find out what that fellow is driving at. Idon't see that I have much chance of learning without his help. "

If there was any opportunity for the stranger to withdraw, Ned wouldhave suspected the man had done so, but he was satisfied it wasimpossible for him to elude him in that way, and consequently he muststill be behind the rock. Clinton at last grew tired and called to Jothat he was about to fire his gun, to compel the stranger to let himknow who he was and what he wanted. Before doing so, he scanned the woodin his immediate vicinity, fearing that some other questionablecharacter had stolen near enough to take a shot at him. 

He was relieved, however, when after the closest search he was unable tofind any cause for fear. There seemed to be no grounds for furtherdelay, and pointing his weapon at the spot where he had last seen thehead, he took a quick aim and pulled the trigger. It was a strangecoincidence that at this very instant the man was in the act of risingto view again, and the poorly aimed shot, even when the distance was sogreat, came near proving fatal to the stranger. The smoke was scarcelywafted from the muzzle of the rifle, when the man sprang up from behindthe rock, and standing erect, called out in a voice that penetrated farbeyond the point aimed at. 

"What the mischief are you trying to do?"

"I was trying to make you show yourself, " replied the amazed NedClinton, "and that seemed to be the only way to do it. "

"Well, I can't admit that I fancy that style of saying how-de-do to afellow. Why don't you sing out to him and ask him what he is after?"

As the individual asked this question in the same loud voice, heunhesitatingly stepped from behind his concealment and began walkingtoward the one that had used him as a target. Ned accepted thisproceeding as a proffer of good will, and although he was not quitesatisfied, yet he began descending the tree, so as to be on the groundto meet him. He had barely time to acquaint Jo and Rosa Minturn withwhat had occurred, when the stranger appeared at the base of the treeand seemed not a little surprised to meet another young man with hishandsome sister. 

The new-comer was a man apparently in middle life, with a yellow, shaggybeard, reaching nearly to his eyes, dressed in rather tattered garments, that had more of the look of the farmer than the military about them. His face, so far as it could be seen, was by no means a pleasing one;the eyes were of a gray color, but with a strange, restless glitter. Hisappearance would lead one to set him down as a vagabond settler--one whowas so lazy that he spent the greater part of his time in hunting thewoods for game, or searching the streams for fish. 

He was sharply scrutinized as he came to view, while he, in turn, keenlysurveyed the fugitives. 

If he were a settler, as he appeared to be, there was not one of thethree who remembered seeing him before. To Jo Minturn there came a faintimpression that he had met him at some time, though he could not recallwhere or when it was. But the stranger quickly recovered from thetemporary embarrassment he showed upon finding himself confronted bythree, where he expected to see only one person. 

"Well, now, I am glad to meet you, " he said, in a hearty way thatsuggested the Mr. Perkins whom they had met when on the other side ofthe river. "I cotched sight of that young man climbing a tree, though Icouldn't satisfy myself for a long time whether he was a friend or foe. I suppose you know me, don't you?"

Ned answered for the others:

"I have no recollection of having ever seen you before. "

"Why, I remember you very well. You are Ned Clinton, and that younggentleman is Jo Minturn, with his sister Rosa. "

"You are certainly right, as far as that goes, but you are none the lessa stranger to us for all that!"

"My name is Worrell, and I am a settler, living about a mile up theriver. I have often seen your father--both of them--at Forty Fort. "

"That, I suppose, is where you have met us, also?"

"Yes, and at your homes near there. I do a great deal of hunting, andhave sold Mr. Minturn and Mr. Clinton a good deal of game. "

"How is it you didn't recognize me when you saw me in the tree?"

"I couldn't make sure, because I couldn't get a fair look at you. "

"How is it, too, that you are abroad at this time, when the Indians andTories are playing havoc in the valley?"

"That's just the reason, " was the ready response of Worrell. "A party ofthem came so near my home that I had to dig out. That was day beforeyesterday, and I have been roaming about the woods ever since, notdaring to go back home again. "

"What did they do with your family?"

"I haven't got any family, so there was nothing done with them. "

"What were you doing when you observed me?"

"I had just reached that rock and had sat down to rest myself, when Iwas scared by happening to look toward you and seeing you climbing thetree. I have been dodging the redskins and Tories all of two days, andhave had pretty sharp work, I can tell you, and a good many narrowescapes. I had three scrimmages with redskins, and came so near losingmy scalp in the last case that I have been mighty careful ever since asto how I went up to a stranger and shook hands with him till I waspretty sure he was a friend, which is why I waited so long with you. "

"Well, you were cautious, indeed, but perhaps it was as well, for onecan't be too careful at such a time as this. "

"Then I take it you're dodging the same parties that I am?" saidWorrell, taking a seat on the log, as if he meant to unite forces withthe little party. 

"Yes, " replied Ned Clinton, willing to tell their new companion alltheir purposes, and glad of his company. "Yes, we set out forWilkesbarre, but there are so many Indians in the path that we find thetask a hard one. "

"Are you alone?"

"Not exactly, " was the answer. "We have an Indian scout with us. "

"Who is he? Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk?"

"The same. "

It may have been fancy on the part of Rosa but at that moment she saw anexpression flit over the small part of the man's face that was visible, that she thought betokened disappointment at these words. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

DOUBT AND PERPLEXITY. 

The fugitives felt like congratulating themselves upon the acquisitionof so valuable a man as the patriot Worrell. A hunter like him, who hadspent years in wandering through the woods, must be acquainted with allthose places that were the most available as a means of concealment. There were many retreats which had proven of the greatest benefit toother fugitives, but they were those that had been seized upon in thefrenzy of flight, when the thirsting pursuers were as eager as thosewhom they were hunting, and the slightest incident was frequentlysufficient to turn aside the human bloodhounds. But something had nowbecome necessary, for there was the danger of a carefully managed huntby the Indians themselves, in which case the whites would need to takeadvantage of every expedient possible. What more likely, therefore, thanthat this man could give them the very assistance they needed in thatrespect?

The thought occurred to Ned Clinton and Jo Minturn at the same moment. Rosa remained seated when he came up, bowing politely to the stranger, but contenting herself with merely looking on and studying him as bestshe could. She was not much disturbed until she saw the expression ofdisappointment on the upper part of his face when he learned thatLena-Wingo, the Mohawk, had charge of the party and was expected soon toreturn. The opportunity of studying the character of the man from hisface was limited on account of the shaggy, luxuriant beard; but womanhas an intuitive perception, which avails her more than the reasoningpower of man; and, although the maiden felt it was possible she wasmistaken in what she saw there, the impression remained that he was onewho ought to be regarded with distrust, if not suspicion. And yet shedetermined to say and do nothing that could interfere with any plans ofher companions. She felt that she had already said much in thatdirection, and well convinced as she was that they were abundantlyqualified to take care of themselves, it seemed to her the crisis wastoo grave for her to delay any movement by objections for which shecould give no valid reason. 

"You've had that Mohawk to help you ever since you left Forty Fort?" wasthe inquiring remark of Worrell, in answer to the information of NedClinton that the Indian was a member of the party. 

"Yes; we couldn't have gotten along without him. There can be no doubtthat we would have fallen into the hands of the Iroquois long ago butfor his presence. "

"Me and Red Jack--though I believe he likes his name of Lena-Wingo thebest--have been on many a hunt together, and he beats anything I eversaw. "

"There is no cause for his being otherwise, when he has spent so manyyears as a hunter and scout. The Iroquois would give a great deal tosecure his scalp. "

"You can just bet they would, and so would Colonel Butler, CaptainBagley or any of the Tories. You know that the fellow has done too muchagainst the scamps to be forgiven. But where has he gone?"

"He is off taking a look through the neighborhood to see how the landlies, and what is the best thing for us to do. "

"When do you expect him back?"

"We expect him from this time forward till he comes, but there is notelling when that will be. He is master of his own motions, and willreturn, I suppose, when he deems the hour is best for him to do so. "

"I found that out long ago, but you don't know where he has gone?"

"No more than you. You seem interested. "

"Well, Red Jack and me are old friends, and if I knowed where he was Imight go out to hunt him up and give him a point or two about the lay ofthe land in these parts. "

"I suppose you are acquainted with it all?"

"Well, I ain't the man to boast, and don't know that it is bragging totell the truth. But if there is a spot I don't know all about in thisneighborhood I'm ready to pay a good reward for a sight of the same. "

"It seems to me you might be able to do us a good turn. "

"I'll do anything in the world for you and the lady, if I have thechance. What have you in mind?"

"We feel that, as long as we occupy this position, we are in danger ofbeing swooped down upon by the Iroquois--"

"You can bet on that! Didn't I tell you a minute ago how many narrerescapes I made while poking round in these woods? Why, it ain't an hourago since I saw three Indians that must have been some of the paintedIroquois who are looking around for you!"

"Is that the case?" asked Jo Minturn, rising to his feet and walkingcloser to their visitor. "How far off were they?"

"Not more than a quarter of a mile at the most, and it took careful workon my part to keep out of their way. "

The youths looked at each other with something like dismay, while Rosabecame deeply interested. 

"There can scarcely be a doubt that they were hunting for us, " said Jo, in an undertone that was intended to escape his sister, but of whichevery word reached her ear. "It isn't a pleasant situation, withLena-Wingo gone, and no one knowing when he will be back. He is theshrewdest fellow in the world, but no one is smart enough to savehimself from mistake at all times. Who knows but that he has gone injust such a direction that he will escape seeing the very Indians fromwhom the visit is most likely to come?"

"I think that we had better get this fellow to take us to some goodhiding-places where we can place Rosa--at least, till the Mohawk comesback. I don't believe he has any idea of trying to run into Wilkesbarrewhile it is day, but is getting up some plan for stealing in at nightwith her. "

"It does look that way, which means our waiting in some place of hidingtill the time shall come to make the attempt. "

"And this isn't much of a hiding-place, when the minute I climbed a treeI was seen by Worrell, there. "

"It makes Lena-Wingo angry, " continued Jo, who felt a hesitation aboutrunning directly in the face of the well-known wishes of the duskyscout, "for us to disregard his instructions on a point like this; but Ithink if he understood the chance we have of helping him in this matterhe would be glad for us to avail ourselves of it. "

"Well, I can't see that there is any great risk run in allowing Worrellto conduct us to shelter. This will never be of any use to us, and Ican't feel safe here one minute after what he has told us. I proposethat we get him to find us other quarters. "

"I'm favorable to the plan, because he is a good hunter, and whileLena-Wingo is operating in one direction, he may be of help in the way, also, of getting food for us. "

And so it was that, look at the matter in whatever light they chose, itseemed a wise step for them to call in the services of the stragglingpatriot that had joined them in the rather curious manner already told. The only hesitation with the young men came from the consciousness thatthey were sure to violate either the expressed or understood command ofthe Mohawk. But they argued themselves into a justification of the stepby the manifest advantages to be gained in taking it. 

"Find out what Rosa thinks about it, " finally suggested Ned, when thetwo had gone over all the arguments to each other. 

Jo stepped over to where his sister was sitting and put the question toher. 

"Whatever you think best, " was her answer. "I don't feel, Jo, that I amcompetent to give advice. "

"There can be no doubt that it is the best thing for us to do, but wehesitate because it will be a direct disregard of the wishes ofLena-Wingo himself. "

"If the move is for the best, he will find no fault with you. But, Jo, are you sure that if you put yourself under charge of that man it _will_be for the best?"

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE NEW GUIDE. 

Minturn looked in the face of his sister a moment, as if he would readher very thoughts. Then he asked in a whisper that not even Ned Clintonoverheard:

"Do you mistrust him, Rosa?"

She regretted her words, and answered:

"I ought not to have said it, Jo, but I didn't like his looks when hefirst joined us; have you ever seen him before?"

"I think I have, though I can't recall the place or occasion. "

"Well, that makes a different matter of it; do as you think best. "

Believing that his sister had come to his view of the case, Jo so statedto Ned, and there was no further hesitation. While this littleconference was going on, Worrell remained seated, acting as if he had noconcern in the matter. He busied himself in examining his rifle, andmaking sure it was in order. A minute or so before Jo was prepared tomake a definite proposition to him, he rose to his feet, and assumed anattitude of intense attention, as though some faint signal had fallen onhis ear. Then as the young scout turned to address him, he spoke first:

"Well, I guess I'll have to bid you good-morning. "

"And why so?" asked Jo, in some surprise. 

"To tell the truth, this is too dangerous a place to stay any longer. Ihear sounds in the woods that lead me to think there are some of theredskins not very far off, and I prefer to dig out; maybe it'll be saferand better for you to wait till Lena-Wingo comes back, and he'll get youout better than I can. "

"No one could do better than the Mohawk if he were only here, but thetrouble is he isn't here just now, and we've come to the conclusion thatit is not safe to wait for him. Where do you mean to go?"

"Oh, there's a little hiding-place up here a way, where I'll crawl into, for, when I'm in there, you may trot out all the redskins in the valley, and I'll go to sleep while they're hunting. I don't care if Lena-Wingois among them. I ca'c'late to spend some time there till the Indiansget a little scarcer. "

"What will you do for food?"

"I've got _that_ fixed, " replied Worrell, in a voice and with a mannerthat implied there was nothing to fear on that score. 

"Well, if you will allow us to go with you--"

"Allow you!" exclaimed the man, in a gushing mood. "Haven't I beenwanting you to go with me ever since I stopped and found in what troubleyou were? Why, come along, and I'll put you in a place where you canstay a month, if you want to, without a living soul finding out whereyou are. "

"We'll do it, and be forever grateful for your kindness; but you sayeven Lena-Wingo will be unable to find out where we are hiding. We mustlet him know where we are when he returns and misses us. "

"That can be fixed. When we see him looking for us, we can step out andlet him know we are around, and he'll be there in a second, of course. "

"All right, then; lead the way. "

The man placed himself at the head of the party, Jo following, while Nedand Rosa brought up the rear. The first move of Worrell impressed theyouths in his favor, for he headed toward the mountain close at hand, acourse that would suggest itself to one who was hunting a hiding-place. It looked as if he understood his business, and knew where to take themto find what they wanted. There was no material change in the appearanceof the forest through which they were making their way, except that itgrew somewhat rougher and more difficult to traverse, though the companycontinued to journey without any hesitation in their rate of progress. 

They pushed along for quite a distance in this manner, when their guidehalted, as if he had again detected something that did not suit him. Hestood with his head bent in the way they noticed before starting, butsaid nothing. 

"What's up now?" asked Jo, who thought they might as well understandeverything as they went along. 

"It's queer, " replied their companion, in a low voice, "but I've fanciedonce or twice that I heard signals in the woods just such as have caughtmy ear when I knew the redskins were looking for some of us. Nightbefore last, I picked up a poor chap--Tom Haley, a settler living nearme, and was on my way to another place to hide him, when we heard thesame sort of sounds, and we stopped to listen to 'em, but we hadn'tstood more than five minutes when they come down on us. The first noticewe had was the banging of about a dozen rifles, and that was the last ofpoor Tom. I was lucky enough to get away, but I don't want to meet anymore neighbors like that. "

This was not cheerful or soothing information, and the three fugitivesfelt anything but comfortable. 

"Haven't you heard the sounds?" asked Worrell, addressing the three. 

None of them had noticed anything, and Rosa asked:

"What do they resemble?"

"Nothing so much as the faint call of the whip-o'-will, so low and softthat the ear can hardly catch it. "

"It is strange that you should be the only one to notice it, " shecontinued; "are you sure that you weren't mistaken?"

"It may be I was, but my experience with the Iroquois has made me verysuspicious; but I do hope I was off the track, for it may prove a badthing if I wasn't. "

"Do you hear it now?"

"Hark! let us listen. "

All stood motionless, and scarcely breathing. But nothing resembling thesounds described by their guide was noticed. 

"It _does_ look as if I was mistaken, " said Worrell, brightening up. "Ihope I was. "

"It could be very well the other way, " said Ned Clinton. "The Indiansmay have made a dozen calls to each other, but they were not likely tokeep it up very long. A few signals would accomplish all they want. "

Nothing was to be gained by argument over the question, in which all wasconjecture, and they moved on once more. It was not five minutes beforetheir guide paused again, but it was only for a moment, and he saidnothing. He acted as if he fancied he caught something suspicious, butseeing the whites with the appearance of attention, concluded he wasmistaken, so long as nothing of the kind fell upon their ears. By thattime the afternoon was well advanced, and the day was somewhat warmerthan before. 

None of the fugitives had gained a moment's sleep during the precedingnight, while the exhaustion and privation of the past few days were sosevere that they experienced the need of rest and food. Ned and Jo feltthat the man could not do them a greater favor and kindness than to leadthem into some retreat where they could recuperate in thisrespect, --sleep being needed more than anything else. Jo turned aboutwhile they were walking cautiously forward, and whispered to Nedimmediately behind:

"Watch the route we take. "

Ned nodded his head to signify he understood him. At intervals theyreached and crossed small spaces of natural clearings, where Rosa andthe youths scanned all the country that could be brought under theirfield of vision. In no instance were these very extensive, and the viewresulted in nothing tangible as regarded the movements of their enemies. Much of the ground which was passed was rough and covered with stones. Upon these they stepped so carefully that they left a trail which itwould require the keenest eye of the Indian warrior to detect andfollow. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE HIDING-PLACE. 

Twenty minutes or more was consumed by Worrell, in conducting thefugitives to the hiding-place, where he promised they should be securefrom all molestation from their enemies. In making this journey theywalked slowly, often pausing to examine the ground passed over, and tolisten for those unfavorable signals which the straggling settler wassure he heard from the Iroquois. Thus it was that, in spite of the timeconsumed in making the expedition, they were really at no great distancefrom the starting point, and both Ned and Jo were confident that theycould retrace their steps without difficulty. 

"Here we are!"

As the guide uttered these words, he paused before a mass of boulders, or large stones, where there was an abundance of undergrowth, and thetrees were so numerous that the view in all directions was almost cutoff. 

"I see we are here, " responded Ned. "But what for?"

"Here is the hiding-place I told you about. "

"Where?"

All three were looking inquiringly around, but their eyes saw nothingthat could explain why the man called this a place of concealment. 

"Do you mean that we are to crouch behind some of these stones, just asyou did behind the rock, when you found I was looking at you?" asked NedClinton, with a laugh. 

"Not exactly. Wait and I'll show you. "

He walked forward a few steps further and turned to the right, approaching a large stone that looked heavy enough to require thestrength of a Hercules to stir it. Nevertheless, with one hand he turnedit aside, it being so nicely poised that there was no trouble in usingit as a door on hinges. Drawn back, the astonished whites saw theentrance to a cave beyond. The indications were that, at some remotetime, the stones had been placed in position by a party of aborigines ofthe country, and used by them as a retreat or dwelling. 

"It is the very place, " said Rosa; "for I have been inside. "

"You? When?" asked her brother. 

"Lena-Wingo brought me here one day last fall, when we were caught in astorm in these mountains!"

"What kind of a place is it?"

"There could be no better one for us. I thought of it this morning, andspoke to Lena-Wingo about it. "

"What did he say?"

"He replied that he would probably take us here, if he found we had tokeep out of sight for awhile. "

"That is well, then. Mr. Worrell has done for us what the Mohawk meantto do later in the day. "

"I don't know that I would not have proposed to you that we should comehere after he left, if I had been sure of finding my way, but I wasn't. "

"Is the interior comfortable?"

"It is in warm weather, for none of the sun's rays can enter, and thestones seem to give it coolness. "

"As dark as a wolf's mouth, I suppose?"

"Not at all. There are several windows, made by crevices between thestones, which let in enough light to help us see where we are. "

"The young lady speaks the truth, " said Worrell. "She has been in andremembers all about it. "

"How came you to find it when it is so well concealed?"

"I was hunting a bear in these mountains some two years ago and woundedhim, when he started to retreat. I followed him as fast as I could, whenhe put straight for this heap of stones, and he would have got away if Ihadn't come in sight just in time to see him pull that door aside withone paw and start in. I gave him a shot as he was doing so, and itfinished him before he could get out of my reach. "

The reports of the cavern being so favorable, the fugitives were glad toavail themselves of its shelter without further delay. Ned Clinton wasthe first to explore the retreat, he being obliged to assume a stoopingposition to enter it. As soon as he was inside, he called to the othersto follow, and Worrell himself obeyed, Jo going next, while Rosa camelast. 

The place was not a disappointment in the least when viewed from theinside. The windows of which Rosa spoke proved sufficient to give allthe light they could ask, and more than the young scouts expected tosee. Besides, when they were fairly within it was noticed that the roofascended, while the floor was lowered to that extent that they couldeasily stand at their full height--a luxury which any one in theirsituation would have appreciated. It was dry, and there was nothing tomake them uncomfortable. Expressions of delight came from all, exceptinghim who had taken them to the retreat. He seemed to enjoy listening tothe praise bestowed upon his choice. 

"Ah! if some of the poor fellows who were fleeing from Monacacy and thewoods, after the battle, " said Ned, "could have stumbled upon this theywould have been safe. "

"And even if they had been seen, " added Jo, "they could have turned itinto a fort itself, and held out against ten times their number. "

"Then why can we not make the same use of it?" asked Rosa. "It willserve us if Colonel Butler happens to discover where we are hid. "

"He isn't going to discover us, " put in Worrell, with a confidence whichgave the youths greater faith in their safety than before; but which, strange to say, impressed Rosa in the opposite manner. 

It was the manner rather than the words that grated on hersensibilities, and she found her old mistrust of the man deeper thanbefore. It struck her that he was too ready to declare they were nowbeyond the reach of Colonel Butler and his men. It was like parrying ablow before it was struck, though the young men readily saw in the wordswhich called out the remark sufficient cause for the same. With thissuspicion came a conviction that, despite the critical position in whichthey seemed to be placed, when awaiting the return of the Mohawk, theyhad committed a perilous blunder in leaving the spot where he wouldexpect to find them. 

"I said there was no danger of our being discovered by Colonel Butler orany of his men; but maybe that was putting it too strong, for I supposethat we are always in danger as long as them redskins are within a dozenmiles of us; but what I meant to say was, that there ain't any spotanywhere among these mountains where you can feel safer from the enemythan here. "

This is what he ought to have said in the first place, as it seemed toRosa, and yet the after effect of the words was almost as if they hadbeen uttered at the right time. A strange compound is that which goes tomake up the emotions of man and woman; for with the expression justgiven, Rosa Minturn experienced something like a revulsion of feeling, and reproved herself that she should have suspected the man at all. Shesaw in him nothing but a simple-minded hunter-settler, who was afugitive for the time being like themselves, and was anxious to befriendthem to the best of his ability. The most circumspect and devoted allywould have acted as he did. Because he was dressed in rather shabbyattire, and was unattractive in person, should she doubt his loyalty?Had she not lived long enough to learn that "the rank is but a guinea'sstamp, " and that, though repulsive without, he might be "a man for a'that?"

CHAPTER XXVI. 

CURIOUS PROCEEDINGS. 

In the twilight of the underground apartment, the figures of each weredimly discernible, but there was abundance of room for all to circulatewithout interfering with each other. Ned conducted the girl to thefurthest extremity of the cavern, where it would seem that the couchesof the ancient occupants had been placed. 

"You are wearied and tired, " said he, in a tender voice. "Let me beg youto use your chance while it is here. Recline in the corner and Jo and Iwill keep watch. "

"But you and he need rest as well as I!" she protested. "Why not seek itnow?"

"Perhaps we may. I will talk to him, but don't think of us. Here seemsto be some sort of blanket. "

At this moment Worrell called out:

"You'll find a blanket near where you are standing. I left it a fewweeks ago when I was hunting in these parts. "

Everything seemed to be as they wished, and Rosa accepted theinvitation, which was emphasized by her own sense of its need. She satdown on the blanket, with her head resting against a large stone behindher, just as she had sat many a time in the old armchair at home, andshe had scarcely assumed the position when she sank into slumber. 

"Well, now you are here, " said Worrell, as Ned Clinton came back fromwhere Rosa was reclining, "how do you mean to pass the time?"

"Jo and I, here, are half dead for sleep, and if we can put in a coupleof hours or so, it will make new fellows of us. "

"What's to hinder? Why don't you lay down and sleep all you want to?"

"It looks like running great risk for all three of us to commitourselves to slumber when the Indians might steal in and nab every oneof us. "

Worrell laughed. 

"I never seen anybody so backward about asking a favor as you. If Ihadn't pumped that out of you, you two would have sat here winking, andblinking, and nodding for hours, just 'cause you had a notion in yourheads that there was some danger in going to sleep. "

"We may take turns about it, " said Jo. "But we could not consent thatall of us should be unconscious at the same time. "

Again the fellow laughed, as though it was all a capital joke. 

"I put in ten, good, solid hours of slumber here last night, and I can'tdo any more of it before midnight, if I was to be paid a thousand poundsfor it. "

"And you are willing to stay here a couple of hours while we sleep?"

"Nothing will give me greater pleasure. "

"I don't know how we shall ever pay you for your kindness. "

"By never saying nothing about it. Come, we're losing too much time;you'll get no sleep at all if you never stop talking. Lay down at once, for I ca'c'late you ain't partic'lar about having a straw bed, nor verysoft pillers. "

Again expressing their gratitude to the man for his repeated kindness, Ned and Jo stretched themselves upon the flinty floor, and quicklyglided into the land of dreams. Slumber, indeed, they all needed, forthe most athletic and hardened frame, the toughest and most enduringsystem, must have time in which to recuperate the exhausted energies. Five minutes from the time Ned Clinton spoke the last words to thesettler, the latter was the only one within the cavern who possessed hissenses. In the far corner scarcely visible in the dim light of theplace, reclined the lovely Rosa, and nearer, in full view, werestretched the forms of her two friends--all handsome and attractive, butas helpless as so many babes. 

For a brief while after the slumber of the whites had come upon them, Worrell, the straggling farmer, sat near the entrance of the cavern, thestone which served as a door being partly drawn aside, so that a floodof light made its way through, and fell directly on his countenance. Itwas a curious scene--the three unconscious forms, while the fourth waswider awake than ever. He was sitting at the very entrance, the lightwhich streamed in striking him in such a way that all was in shadowexcepting his hat, shoulders, and face. The slouched head-gear wasthrown back, showing a low forehead, while the hair that lay in mattedand spiked masses on and around his crown was of a grizzled browncolor--that which dangled from beneath his hat when he met the youngscouts being of as fiery a red as were the whiskers themselves. 

So curious an exhibition proved that it was never done by the hand ofnature! The whiskers themselves looked genuine, until a movement of thehand caused a displacement, such as could not have taken place, had theybeen attached to the face by a natural growth. 

The man muttered impatiently, glanced toward the sleeping forms of theyouths, and drew back into the shadow until he could set all rightagain. Then, satisfied that they were in too deep slumber to notice hisactions, he leaned forward, throwing his head and shoulders into thesunlight as before. And why sat he there so close to the opening of thecavern? Was it that he might the better hear the sound of danger when itcame that way? Was it that he meant that his ward and watch should be asfaithful as if it were his own loved ones whom he was guarding againstthe approach of wolves or ravening beasts? It might be all this--itmight be otherwise. 

A few more minutes passed, and he turned and looked toward the young menwith a piercing, penetrating glance, as if something aroused hissuspicion. He did not stir as he pronounced the name of Ned Clinton inquite a loud voice, repeating it several times, and doing the same inthe case of Jo Minturn. The slumber of both was too deep to be disturbedby such trivial causes, and he received no answer. 

"I don't believe they're playing possum, " he muttered to himself, staring distrustfully toward them. "But it won't do to make any blunderright here. "

To prevent any error, he rose softly and walked to where they weresleeping. Brief listening told him that their regular breathing was notfeigned, but he leaned over and shook each in turn by the shoulder, pronouncing their names in louder tones than before. The slumbercontinued undisturbed. A muttered exclamation escaped the man again, oneexpressive of pleasure at the discovery. 

"They'll sleep till to-morrow morning if nobody comes along to wake 'emup. The trouble is with that deuced Mohawk, who has a way of turning upjust when he isn't wanted. But I don't think he'll get a chance to puthis finger in this pie. "

He looked over in the gloom toward the corner where he could catch theoutlines of the head of Rosa Minturn, as it rested against a largestone. Then he appeared to be of the opinion that the time had come foraction of some kind. He moved to the cavern door but did not stay there;with scarcely a pause, he stooped down and speedily placed himself onthe outside of the mountain retreat. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

As soon as Worrell found himself on the outside of the cavern, he walkedrapidly for a hundred yards or so, taking a direction at right angles tothat which he followed when conducting the fugitives to the retreat. Hisgait became almost a run until he reached an elevation, when he paused, as if to make a survey of a portion of the country spread out below him. 

"The sun is almost overhead, " he muttered, as he looked up to the skywith an impatient expression, "and I am all of an hour behind time, butthis is one of them things that can't be fixed just as you want it, andI don't see why it should make any difference. "

He was gazing at the section which lay spread out at his feet, and wasbetween him and the Susquehanna. His eyes first roved in a quick, restless way over the broad stretch of woods and clearings, as ifseeking for some object upon which to rest. At the end of a few minutes, his gaze became fixed upon a place where stood a small house in themiddle of a clearing. It evidently belonged to one of the settlers inthe Wyoming valley, who had been smitten with the panic which drove somany from their homes, and had fled without taking any of his stock withhim, or destroying his property to prevent it falling into the hands ofthe enemy. 

The manner of Worrell showed that he awaited some person or signal inconnection with this house, but he was disappointed. The tomb itselfcould not have been more deserted and desolate, and he gazed until surethere was nothing on or about it which was intended for his eye. 

"That's the way it always is, " he muttered. "I have got everything fixedjust as I promised, and now they turn up missing at the very time theyought to be on hand. I suppose I've got to hunt 'em up, and that maytake me till dark, by which time that Mohawk will put in his oar. "

He spent a few more minutes searching for something which did notappear. Then he advanced to a small tree that grew on the edge of theopen space where he had halted, and drawing a large red handkerchieffrom his pocket, bent down a small sapling and tied the silk to it. Asthe little tree flew back to its upright position, there was enoughbreeze to make the signal rise and float in the wind. The man stood offa few paces, and watched it. 

"I can't improve on that, " he said to himself. "If they will only lookthis way, they can't help seeing it, and it will tell the story; but thetrouble is, there is no knowing when they will take the trouble to lookthis way. Faugh! why didn't they leave the whole thing to me? It wouldhave been ended by this time, and there would have been no after-clap, but this waiting and bother is what will upset the whole arrangementunless they come up to time better than they are likely to do. "

Impatient as he was, he was obliged to content himself, while he kept anunremitting watch on the house and its surroundings, occasionally givingvent to his feelings by a series of expletives. In fact, Worrell, whonow showed himself to himself, as it may be said, was altogether a lessprepossessing character than the one who had so kindly conducted thefugitives to the hiding-place in the woods, and bidden them sleep whilehe watched over their slumbers. Suddenly he started. He had discernedsomething for which he was waiting. Moving to the edge of the openspace, he gazed with the keenness of one whose life depended upon makingno mistake as to what he saw. The house which engaged so much of hisattention was a quarter of a mile distant. The wonder was how hedistinguished anything so far off with enough certainty to determine itscharacter; but he had done so. 

"Better late than never, " he muttered; "though it looked awhile ago asif it was to be never. Yes, " he added, a moment after, "they are there, and it won't take them long to find out that I am here. "

So it proved; for, in a few minutes there was an answering signal wavingfrom an upper window of the house in the form of a handkerchief of awhite color, swung by the hand of a man instead of the wind, as in theformer case. 

"I don't know as there's any use of my waiting any longer, " he growled, "for I don't s'pose they'll come to me, and I may as well go to them, for there is no telling where that infernal Mohawk is. I wouldn't meethim for all the Colonel Butlers that ever breathed. He is the devilhimself, and I prefer to keep out of his path. "

Impressed with the value of time, the man gripped the sapling and swungit violently, so as to make the red handkerchief wave in the breeze. Then he started down the mountain, taking a direction which led himstraight toward the house in which he had shown so much interest fromthe first. All the way was down-hill, and Worrell walked like oneaccustomed to the woods, making such good time that at the end of tenminutes he was with the parties whom he was anxious to see and meet. Whowere they?

Six Indians, under the charge of Captain Bagley, who has already beenintroduced to our readers. 

A glance at the painted warriors showed they were Iroquois, who werefollowing so vigilantly the fugitives that had managed to elude themthus far. Bagley emerged from the house and shook hands with Worrell, the two at once entering into a hurried conversation, while the Indians, in accordance with their nature, stood apart, saying nothing to eachother, but satisfied to wait till the time should come for them to actin obedience to the orders of their leader. Something was wrong, forBagley and Worrell continued talking a long time, each earnest andabounding with gesture. As might be supposed, it was Lena-Wingo, theMohawk, that had caused the trouble. Several of the warriors had seenhim in another direction, and an encounter of some kind had taken placebetween the celebrated scout and the Iroquois, with the result thatColonel Butler had now two less men than before. 

Captain Bagley was of the opinion that the half dozen with him wereinsufficient to enter the cave and secure the fugitives sleeping there. He wanted about as many more before making the attempt. Worrell insistedthere should be no delay. The three were in sound slumber, and all theyhad to do was to enter the cavern, take possession of their arms, andthen the trio themselves. Captain Bagley's objection to this was thatbecause of the time that had elapsed, they would not be found asleepwhen his men arrived there. 

Furthermore, from what his informant told him, he was confident theMohawk would reach the cavern ahead of them, in which event it would bevain to attack them with only six Indians and two white men, even thoughthese eight were among the bravest soldiers that had entered theWyoming valley. It was folly, in his opinion, to try such a task withouta force that would insure success from the first. Worrell, however, wasas vehement for an immediate advance, insisting that all that was neededwas promptness. A liberal reward had been promised him, and wouldassuredly be his if his plan was carried to a successful completion. Atlast, his importunity prevailed when he promised to be the first one toenter the cavern, and the start was made. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

UP AND DOING. 

Worrell, the traitor, had been gone nearly an hour from the cavern inwhich the three fugitives were sleeping, when Rosa Minturn awoke, nodoubt because she was not so much in need of sleep as the others, andheld a lingering suspicion of the loyalty of the man who had broughtthem to the retreat. This distrust went to sleep with her, but it is apeculiarity of the mind that the emotions which have been with usthrough our waking hours frequently remain with us when we are wrappedin slumber. It is as if the innumerable train that is forever wendingits way through the mysterious labyrinths of the brain repeats theprocession, and those which affected us the most strongly when incommand of our senses often do the same when we are unconscious. Butwithout stopping to consider the question, suffice it to say that at thetime mentioned Rosa opened her eyes in full possession of herfaculties, and with the impression that the man Worrell was an enemyinstead of a friend. 

She did not move at first, supposing he was still within the cavern;but, as she peered cautiously around the dimly lighted space, she sawonly the forms of her two sleeping friends. The fact at once deepenedthe suspicion, and caused her great distress of mind, for all doubt ofthe hostility of the man was removed upon making the discovery. Stillshe supposed it possible that he was close at hand, and waited severalminutes to see whether he reappeared; but her condition of mind was suchthat every second of delay caused her increasing uneasiness. 

"I am sure he has gone to tell Colonel Butler and the Indians where weare, " she said to herself, as she rose and walked to where her brotherwas asleep. 

Stooping over, she shook him by the shoulder until he opened his eyesand, recognizing her, asked what the matter was. 

"That man has gone. "

"Where has he gone?"

"To tell the Indians we are here!"

Jo sprang to his feet. 

"What are you talking about, Rosa? What do you mean?"

"Just as I say; he has gone to bring the Indians, and will soon be back, too. "

"How do you know that?"

"Don't ask me, but I _know_ what I say. "

This was alarming news, and though Jo suspected his sister based allupon her dislike of the man, without positive knowledge of the facts, yet he was impressed with the belief that she had good cause for herwords. 

"He may be on the outside, keeping watch, " said the youth, after theyhad talked over the matter. "Wait till I take a look. If he can't befound, we'll awake Ned. "

Jo crept out of the cavern dreading a hostile shot as he did so, andmade as thorough an examination of the surroundings as was possible. Hesaw nothing of the man whom they missed, that individual at that momentbeing a quarter of a mile or more away, holding his vehement argumentwith Captain Bagley about the advance with the six Iroquois upon thesleeping fugitives. His invisibility confirmed the young man in hismisgivings as to the treachery of the man. 

"I have no doubt Rosa is right, " he muttered, as he walked thoughtfullyback toward the cavern. "She was always quick to detect anything likethat, and it is strange that neither Ned nor I had any such thought. Theonly thing that troubled us was whether we could convince Lena-Wingo wedid right in leaving the place where he left us. The thought neverentered our heads that there was anything of this kind in the wind. "

He had reached the mouth of the cavern again, where his sister wasanxiously waiting him. 

"Did you find anything of him?"

"No, " he answered, with a shake of the head. "I believe you are right;the man has gone off somewhere after his promise to keep watch over uswhile we slept; that's enough for me. Is Ned awake?"

"Not that I am aware of. "

"He must be aroused at once, for it will not do to stay here after whathas taken place. "

Jo passed inside and awakened his friend, without pausing to be verygentle as to the means. It took but a minute to make plain the trouble. He became as alert and suspicious as they on the instant. 

"There!" he exclaimed; "I had a suspicion when he came under the treethat I had seen him somewhere. "

"So had I, but I couldn't recall where and when it was. "

"Don't you remember when the battle was going on the other day, we sawone man among the Tories who was tomahawking the whites as savagely asany of them?"

"Yes, I remember him well, but he didn't look like this fellow!"

"Not a great deal, that's true, but I believe it was he for all that. "

Jo was silent for a moment, as if in deep thought. 

"There was something about him that reminds me of this fellow, thoughone had whiskers and the other had not, and it is hard to tell just howthey resemble each other. "

The youths were more anxious to take themselves and Rosa away from thecavern than they were to discuss the question, upon which they agreedquite well. Hastily picking up their rifles, they passed outside. Whenthey found themselves within the shelter of the wood again, and beyondthe vision of any one who might approach the retreat, the relief wasinexpressible. 

"We agree that the counsel of Rosa was wise, " said Ned Clinton, as theycame to a halt, "but you see how it may be possible she was mistaken. Now it won't do to go wandering too far from the place, for when theMohawk comes back and finds us gone he may not hunt for us. "

"Why not, then, go back over the same route that we followed in cominghere?" asked Jo. 

"That is what I would like to do, if it wasn't for the danger; it seemsto me that that is the path which Worrell will take when he starts forthe cavern again with his Indians, and we don't want to meet him face toface, for we can do that by waiting in the cavern. "

"I have it!" exclaimed Ned. "I will take the back trail alone, on thelookout for the Mohawk and for the white man, too. What do you say?"

"And shall Rosa and I wait here till you come back?"

"That will be the safer plan, unless another Worrell comes along andtakes you away to a new cavern or hiding-place. "

"We will be as safe here as anywhere, " said Rosa, believing that heropinion would have some weight in the matter. 

"I suspect she is right, " assented her brother. "If the Iroquois come tothe cavern and find we have left, they will think we have got as faraway as we can, and they won't be apt to look for us so close at hand;and then, too, these stones over which we have traveled haven't left anytrail for them to follow. "

"Which shows why you shouldn't go hunting for some other location, unless the Indians happen to come so close that you can't help it, forit will be impossible for me to hunt you up. "

This was simple truth, and Jo promised that nothing should be done toincrease the difficulty of their speedy reunion, whenever his friendshould want to find him and Rosa again. The day was passing and itseemed that they were trifling away the time which was so valuable toall the fugitives. There was something, too, in the continued absence oftheir guide, Lena-Wingo, that caused them uneasiness. They recalled thathe had promised a speedy return, and it was rarely that the Mohawk madethem a promise which was not fulfilled in spirit and letter. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

A STARTLING CHECK. 

Ned and Jo had said nothing to each other about the continued absence ofthe Mohawk, for whatever they might utter would necessarily beconjecture, and would only excite the alarm of Rosa withoutaccomplishing any good. But it was in the thoughts of both, and when Nedbade the two good-bye for a season, it occupied more of his speculationsthan did the movements of the man who had played them false. 

"One can never lose faith in Lena-Wingo, and yet the pitcher may go tothe fountain once too often, " he mused, as he picked his way with thegreatest care. "And that great scout is likely to fall at any time. Asingle rifle ball may do it, and he cannot tell whether there is notmore than one of his own race in hiding, waiting patiently till he shallcome that way and receive his death. He has escaped so often that hemust become careless of his own safety, and will pay the penalty one ofthese days. "

Ned had fixed the route so clearly in his own mind that he found nodifficulty in retracing the steps taken when he was following theleadership of Worrell. He was apprehensive that he would meet him on hisreturn, probably with a number of Indians. He therefore picked his waywith all the care and stealth of which he was master. He imitated theactions of Lena-Wingo under similar circumstances. Frequently pausingand listening for sounds of his enemies, he used his eyes as keenly ashe could for the detection of the first sign of approaching danger. Thiskind of progress was not of the most rapid order, but it was the wisestthat could have been adopted, and he continued it for half an hour. Atthe end of that time, he reached the base of the tree from the branchesof which he fired the shot that brought Worrell from behind the rock. 

"Here is where we met him, " he said to himself, "and I have a feelingthat he isn't very far away now. What a wise girl Rosa is!" he added, with a blush, as if fearful she had heard the complimentary words. "Shemistrusted that villain from the first, and gave us the alarm just intime to save ourselves. "

Having reached the spot for which he set out, the question with theyouth was whether he should stay where he was or go further. He had seennothing of Lena-Wingo and Worrell--a disappointment in both cases, though of a different nature. 

"I can't see why the Indian stays away so long, unless something unusualhas happened. He must know how much we are alarmed over his absence, andhe would be back if it were possible. "

Waiting a short time, he concluded to advance a little farther, so as tomeet either of the two men if they were approaching, while at a greaterdistance from the cavern, though he was not unmindful that he was liableto miss them altogether. However, he had gone less than a hundred yardswhen he detected the signs of some one coming immediately in front. Itwas his ear which heard a crackling of a twig, so close that he hadbarely time to leap aside and conceal himself from view when the figureof Worrell, closely followed by Captain Bagley, came up a sort of pathtoward the open space from which Ned had fled in such haste. The youthbarely caught sight of them when the forms of six Iroquois appeared, one by one, immediately in the rear of the two white men. 

When Ned saw the latter, he was much concerned, fearing that they woulddetect the slight trail he must have left in his hurry for cover. But itwas too late to make any further flight, as he would be discovered fromthe noise, if not by the sight. 

From his concealment he watched the party, their manner of marchingbeing peculiar, as the eight walked in Indian file. Worrell, being theguide, took the lead. Bagley kept so close that they could hold aconversation in low tones, while the Iroquois stalked along like so manyphantoms of the wood. 

If Ned was alarmed at sight of the redmen, knowing their skill indetecting and following a trail of an enemy, he was thrown into a coldperspiration of dread when the whole party halted in the open space fromwhich he had bounded when he heard the crackling twig. The clear spacecovered something like an eighth of an acre, and Clinton was toodisturbed to notice that the particular spot where the group wasgathered was so far removed from his footprints that there was reallylittle danger of their being noticed. But when they had stood awhile, and the two white men began a conversation, he noticed the gratifyingfact and became composed enough to listen to the words that passedbetween Captain Bagley and Worrell. 

"You may say what you please, " said the former, "but there is more riskin this business than I want to assume. You are so anxious to get thereward promised by Colonel Butler that you can't see the difficulties inthe way. "

"If there were any difficulties I would see them, but they ain't there. Where's the difficulty in eight armed men taking possession of two whoare asleep, and a woman who is also unconscious?"

"None, of course, when you put it in that way; but the Mohawk issomewhere about, and, as I told you a while ago, he has a way of turningup just when you don't want to see him. "

"These Iroquois say they want to meet him, and if he is there, they'llhave the chance. "

"But I ain't anxious to meet him, and if he is about, as I feel in mybones he is, there'll be the mischief to pay. "

Worrell uttered an imprecation. He had been obliged to keep up anargument with the captain ever since they started from the house withthe Indians--even before; and now the man had halted again, more loththan ever to proceed. It was plain that he held the Mohawk in greatfear. 

"Where is this cave in which you say the party are asleep?" he asked, inreply to the explanation of the guide. 

"You have only to go a little way further with me and you'll see it, "replied Worrell, who was evidently unwilling that any one should share sovaluable a secret with him. 

"Colonel Butler has all of twenty of the best Iroquois with him, and thewisest thing for us is to go to his camp, tell him how the case stands, and get him to let us have eight or ten more; then we can come back andlay regular siege to the place. Then we shall be sure of catching themsooner or later. "

"Yes, at the end of a month or so, and it won't do for Butler to staymuch longer in the valley. He knows it, and will leave in a day or two. "

"But why speak of waiting a month before they can be taken, when thirstand starvation will bring them to terms in a couple of days at themost?"

"It will, eh?" said Worrell, contemptuously. "There is a spring of waterin one corner of the cavern, and they have enough provisions storedthere to last all of a month. "

"How came the provisions in that place?"

"I took them there myself, for I have used the cave many a time. "

This was a falsehood, so far as the water and food were concerned, thecavern containing nothing of the kind. 

"Do not any of these Iroquois know where the place is?"

"Of course not, and there is no danger of the Mohawk finding it undertwo or three days' hunt. "

"You needn't tell me such stuff as that, " said Captain Bagley. "There'snothing that you can hide from him. "

"This is a pretty crowd that is afraid to go forward because therehappens to be a single Indian somewhere in the woods. If you want tostay behind, let me have the warriors, and I will take them to the spot, and deliver the three into the hands of Colonel Butler inside of anhour. What do you say to that?"

"You are so determined, you may lead on, and we'll follow. "

"Well, let's do it, then, without any more--"

At that instant, the crack of a rifle broke the stillness, and the manWorrell threw up his hand and fell forward on his face, dead!

CHAPTER XXX. 

A MERITED FATE. 

The amazement of Ned Clinton was no greater than that of Captain Bagleyand the Indians over the sudden death of Worrell. For one moment thecomrades of the deceased stood transfixed, staring at the inanimate formstretched on the ground before them. Then the Iroquois gave out theirwar whoop, and sprang to the cover of the nearest undergrowth. Thisbrought them much nearer the youth than was pleasant. The thought struckhim that these warriors would believe the one who fired the fatal shotwas near by, and begin a search which must result in revealing Clintonhimself. The precautionary action of the redmen served to recall CaptainBagley to his own situation, and he raised his gaze from the prostratefigure, and looked affrightedly around him. 

"It was that Mohawk who fired that shot!" he exclaimed, making a hurriedrush for the same cover that was sheltering the half dozen Iroquois. 

As fate would have it, he crouched down in the undergrowth so close toNed Clinton that the latter believed discovery was inevitable. He waswell hidden, however, and flattened out until it seemed he must forcehimself into the ground, while he feared if the Tory escaped seeing him, he would learn of his presence from the throbbing of his heart. Butthere was one thing in favor of the youth. The shot--by whomsoeverfired--had come from exactly the opposite direction, a fact which wasperceptible to the Iroquois themselves even if unnoticed by the youngman at the time. 

Perfect stillness succeeded the report, and when some ten minutespassed, the warriors appeared to suspect their inaction would permit thedaring Mohawk to escape, when there was a chance to secure his scalp. Atthe end of the time mentioned, Ned, from his concealment, caught aglimpse of two warriors stealing along the edge of the open space. Theirbacks were toward him, thus showing they were pursuing an oppositedirection in quest of the one who had slain their leader. Shortly afterhe detected others, and last of all went Captain Bagley himself, hehaving changed from a leader to a follower. Thus in a brief time Nedfound himself alone, with no one in sight excepting the inanimate form, now stark and stiff, telling its impressive story of a miscreant cutdown in the middle of his wicked career. 

"I wonder whether it was Lena-Wingo who did that, " mused the youth, raising his head and peering through the undergrowth at the form. "Captain Bagley believed so, and I guess he was right, for I can't thinkof any one else who would do it. "

After what had taken place, Ned was in doubt as to what his own courseshould be. From the conversation which he overheard between Worrell andBagley, he knew that none of the survivors was aware of the location ofthe cavern, so that the fugitives might stay within it in safety. Theyouth concluded he had seen enough to carry back to his friends. He, therefore, cautiously retreated from the hiding-place, not wishing toencounter any of the Indians, who could be at no great distance, anddesirous, too, of avoiding another sight of the dead man. It took but ashort time to reach the tree, where he had first seen the one who hadattempted to betray them, and who had come near succeeding, too, in theeffort. 

"I don't know that anything is to be gained by staying here, and I willgo back to where I left Jo and Rosa, and tell them they may take refugein the cavern without any danger or disturb--"

At that instant he heard a stealthy movement behind him, and he was indread of a collision with some of the Iroquois, who seemed to be almosteverywhere in the forest and on the mountain. As he wheeled about, therewas the redman, painted and with gun in his grasp; but it was the redmanwhom, of all others, he was anxious to see, being no other thanLena-Wingo, the scout. 

"Thank the Lord!" was the fervent exclamation of the youth, as he rushedtoward the Mohawk and caught his hand. "Where have you been so long?"

Lena-Wingo took the proffered hand and shook it warmly, for he held theyouth in the highest estimation, as he had shown on more than oneoccasion. At the same time, he put on his usual broad grin, and replied, in his broken way:

"Lena-Wingo been watching you. Seen you hide in bushes when Iroquoiscome, and he watch. "

"That was you, then, who picked off Worrell?"

"Who Worrell?" demanded the Mohawk, sharply. 

"Why, that chap that was shot while talking to Captain Bagley. "

"His name not Worrell, " said Lena-Wingo. "He Dick Evans. "

"No!" gasped Ned, in return. 

"That he--Lena-Wingo look good while for him--found him--shoothim--won't kill any more women and babies. "

And who was Dick Evans, that the mention of his name should cause somuch emotion on the part of those who heard it pronounced? He was one ofthe most infamous wretches produced by the Revolutionary war. He hadbeen heard of in Wyoming valley for years before the invasion of theTories and Indians, and was looked upon as an outlaw who was compelledto live in the woods to escape the penalty of his innumerable crimesagainst civilization. There was no deed too dark for him to perpetrate. When the Revolution broke out he turned against the land that gave himbirth, and committed atrocities that no other Tory or Indian hadexceeded. It was well known that he had slain women and children in morethan one instance, and when he held the power no one expected mercy athis hands. He was one of the most wicked of beings and more thandeserved the death which came to him with the bullet aimed and fired bythe Mohawk. 

The latter had declared to more than one person that he would shoot himlike a dog at the first opportunity. With the defiant nature of hisrace, he sent the man himself word by a Seneca Indian that he waslooking for him, and intended to keep it up until able to draw a bead onhim. Evans sent word back in reply, that he was also looking for theMohawk, and dared him to shoot him if he could. The only palliatingcharacteristic of the despicable wretch was his bravery, and he reallydid do his utmost to gain a shot at the Indian who had threatened him. But he engaged in a game in which his antagonist was his superior, andhad paid the penalty. 

The body was left where it fell, for another of the peculiarities ofLena-Wingo was that, for a number of years, he had refused to take thescalp of his fallen foe. At the time the Mohawk shot Evans, he suspectedhe was leading the party in search of the fugitives in the mountain; butthe scout was so far removed from the two men while they were talking, that he failed to gain the import of their words. He therefore knewnothing of the scheme which had been so skillfully laid for entrappingthe three whites. When Ned came to tell him the story, the Indian wasastonished. He had not dreamt of any such thing, for he supposed thathis friends would await him where he told them to stay and not sufferthemselves to be persuaded to disobey him. He showed that he wasdispleased, but he said little, and the feeling was not deep. NedClinton generously assumed all the blame himself, and, like thelightning-rod, it did not take him long to draw the lightning from thewrathful cloud, so that all became serene again. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE MOHAWK EXPLAINS. 

When Ned had told Lena-Wingo all, and succeeded in restoring him to goodhumor, he attempted to draw from the Indian an idea of what he had beendoing since he left them. But the youth did not gain much satisfactoryinformation. The interview lasted but a short time, when Lena-Wingoproposed that they should return to their friends, who must be quiteanxious over their continued absence. He added, also, that they couldnot but be hungry--a want which he took particular pains to satisfy. Onthe way to where the brother and sister had been left, the Mohawk turnedoff to the right, and drew from beneath a fallen tree two goodly-sizedloaves of bread and fully ten pounds of well-cooked meat. 

"Where in the name of the seven wonders did you get that?" asked Ned. 

"Lena-Wingo make bread and cook meat, " grinned the redskin. 

"Come, now, that won't do, " laughed his young friend. "You might havecooked a piece of meat, but you never baked a loaf of bread in yourlife. You have been making a call upon some of the folks in the valley. "

"No--not that--Tory call on settler--Tory make bread--then go tosleep--then Lena-Wingo call on Tory--go 'way--take bread. "

That told the whole story. The Mohawk had made a raid upon some of thethieves in the valley who had robbed some of the patriots only to bespoiled in turn. Such being the fact, the food could not but taste allthe better to the fugitives, who were in sore need of nourishment. 

The fact that several Iroquois were on the hunt for Lena-Wingo appearedto cause that individual no concern. He walked forward as unconcernedlyas if there were no such things as war and hostile men of his own race. He agreed with Ned that it was safe to occupy the cavern while they werecompelled to hide, and until he could complete his arrangements forguiding Rosa into Wilkesbarre. It was prudent to keep her out of theirsight while the Tories and Indians were making diligent search for her, and the way was not clear to run the gauntlet. The Iroquois beingnew-comers, it was hardly possible that any of them knew the location ofthe cave which had been occupied by the whites. 

The conversation which Ned overheard between Bagley and Evans confirmedthis supposition. 

As they journeyed, Lena-Wingo gradually divulged what he had been atduring the afternoon, and why it was he had been absent so much longerthan he intended. The scout had been into Wilkesbarre!

Before attempting to conduct Rosa thither he wished to reconnoitre theground, and was more successful than he expected. Stealing up close tothe rude fortifications, he managed to make himself recognized, andsecured admission without any of his enemies suspecting the daring act. Had he been accompanied by Rosa at this time, he could have conductedher safely within; but he established an understanding with the inmates, so as to feel sure that when the time came to make the effort, he wouldrun no risk of being injured by his friends, or of having his entrancedangerously delayed when he should claim admittance. In leaving thetown, the Mohawk was observed by several Iroquois, and became engagedwith them, but escaped with his usual good fortune. 

Lena-Wingo had no more than finished his narration when the cavern wasreached, and they paused a moment or two to examine it. The Mohawkentered, and as he came back reported that it was as when he last sawit, adding that no place existed in the neighborhood which would serveas well for a real hiding-place for the young lady while her friendswere preparing for the entry into Wilkesbarre. Taking this as hisstarting point again, Ned Clinton had no difficulty in finding the spotwhere he had bid good-bye to Jo and his sister. By the time the placewas fairly identified, the two came forward and greeted him and theMohawk. 

The meeting was pleasant to all, for there was something in the presenceof the famous and skillful scout that filled the three with confidenceand hope. When he revealed the provisions he brought, there was somemerriment, increased by the narration that Ned gave as to the manner inwhich it had been secured. The last food the fugitives ate was on thenight preceding, so that all were in the condition to appreciate histhoughtful kindness. When the noonday meal was finished they had made agoodly-sized reduction of the supply. The sensation of the occasion cameafterward, when Ned told how Evans had met his end at the hands of theMohawk, after completing his arrangements to capture the sleepingfugitives in the cavern. 

Jo and his sister shuddered at the thought that they had been so nearlyin the hands of the fearful scourge of the valley, and it was hard tounderstand why he spared them as they slept. The remembrance that thethree had actually allowed themselves to become unconscious while hemounted guard over them, made all tremble as though the danger was notyet passed. Rosa and Jo expected that the Mohawk would be angered whenhe learned how his wishes had been disregarded, but Ned had alreadysucceeded in calming his impatience. The event could not but be a lessonto all, since it was that disregard which came so near defeating thewhole plan of procedure. None of the friends made any reference to it, nor did Lena-Wingo, but there came a resolve which took a deep hold ofthe hearts of the three that hereafter, while in the woods, theinstructions of the Mohawk should be followed to the letter, eventhough the threatened consequences were death itself. 

The provisions which were left were carefully gathered up and carried tothe cavern, which it was agreed should remain their headquarters. It wasnear midday, the sun only having slightly crossed the meridian. Theweather was so warm that all were glad of the chance to spend an hour ortwo in doing nothing. Near by was a small stream of clear, cool, gushingwater, from which they slaked their thirst, while they sat down beneatha large tree, to listen to the plan the Mohawk had decided upon. This heexplained briefly, for the scheme was simple and easily comprehended, itbeing nothing more than to wait where they were until he could find theeasiest way by which to enter Wilkesbarre. 

The establishment of an understanding with the garrison was a necessarystep, in which he had been fortunate. It had been his aim to do thisalso without discovery, and, had he succeeded, he would have conductedthe entire party around to the opposite side, and run safely intoshelter with them before sunset. The Iroquois having detected him as hewas coming out, the difficulty of the return was greatly increased. Butfor the fact, also, that Captain Bagley had learned from Evans beforehis death that the young lady was concealed in the woods, Lena-Wingo wasconfident he could have made the warriors believe he had delivered herthere, and thus greatly simplified the real task of doing so. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

THE FATAL TREE. 

Lena-Wingo's plan was to learn how large a force was on their side ofthe river, how they were disposed, and what was the precise scheme ofthe Tory colonel for the capture of the girl. When this was done, hecould decide in a very few minutes on the course to circumvent him. Nowthat his friends were all together again, and were scarcely likely to bemolested for some time to come, there was no occasion so favorable asthe present in which to perform this duty. 

Accordingly he told them he should start within half an hour, and wouldprobably be gone the whole afternoon, for he meant to make his work sothorough that there would be nothing remaining to be done after hisreturn except to enter Wilkesbarre that night, and most probably in theearly portion of the evening. Could he succeed, the campaign would beended and our story also; for once safely within the fortifications, thepersecuted girl would be beyond all further trouble or molestation fromthe Tory leader, whose name must forever remain one of execration whenmentioned with that of Wyoming valley. Butler had not enough men toventure across the river and attack Wilkesbarre by force, as there was agoodly number still in his rear, who were sure to rise the instant theopportunity were given, and avenge the atrocious massacre of neighborsand friends. The only hope that he had was to secure the girl whileattempting to reach this place of safety, and there could be no doubt hewould strain every nerve to do so. 

The Mohawk told his friends that if they went to sleep in the eveningthey must expect to be awakened by him, and must therefore be prepared. He advised Rosa to spend the most of her time in the cavern, as no placewas more comfortable, and certainly none so safe. While there, herfriends should keep watch through the surrounding woods, for there was apossibility of a visit from some of the Iroquois who might wander intothe section. A little care, therefore, would be like the ounce ofprevention, and might avert some serious difficulty. 

The fugitives promised that his suggestions should be considered in thelight of positive commands. And then, as Lena-Wingo arose to go, hepaused a minute or two while he explained a little secret about thecavern which he believed was unknown to everybody except himself. Thiswas, that there was another means of ingress and egress to it, theancient occupants of the same having probably constructed a means ofescape in case their enemies should press them too hard. This consistedof a narrow underground tunnel, running from the couch where Rosa hadobtained her brief rest, and rising to the surface beneath a broad flatstone, near a mass of dense undergrowth. The entrance to it from theinterior of the cavern was covered in the same manner, and it is hardlylikely that Evans himself was aware of its existence. The stone that hidthe mouth at either end of the tunnel was so thin that a man could liftit with a slight effort, and, no doubt, at some time or other they hadanswered a good purpose. 

Jo and Ned were delighted with this discovery, and were confident that, if a company of Iroquois should swoop down upon them, they could keepthem at bay until nightfall, and then steal out without discovery. Nothing more remained for Lena-Wingo to say; and, as he was a man offew words, he vanished almost immediately into the forest. 

"I don't apprehend that there is danger of our disregarding the wishesof Lena-Wingo this time, " said Ned, with a laugh, when they foundthemselves alone. 

"No, I'll be hanged if there is!" replied Jo. "We have done that once ortwice, and it has always got us into trouble where he had to help us outagain. "

"I supposed that he would be angry when we spoke about it, " remarkedRosa, "but he showed no feeling at all. "

"I understand how that came about, " added Jo, with a significant looktoward his friend. "Ned has made him believe it was all his fault, andLena-Wingo has poured out his wrath upon his head, so that none was leftfor us. "

"Is that true?" asked Rosa, looking into the face of her admirer, whoblushed and tried to turn the conversation. 

As there was no escaping the accusation, Ned had to take a scolding fromRosa herself, who loved him none the less for this little act ofself-abnegation. 

"See here!" exclaimed the victim, "One of the suggestions of Lena-Wingowas that Jo and I should keep a lookout while the day lasted, so thatnone of the big Indians might steal down here and eat up Rosa rightbefore our eyes. What do you say, Jo?"

"That's what Red Jack told us, " responded his friend, "and if he saidit, why, that insured its being a wise suggestion. I'm ready, and whilewe're gone, Rosa ought to withdraw into the cavern. "

"So I think. "

It was she herself who made this last remark. As she did so she sprangup, pulled the stone aside, and whisked within, disappearing from sightlike a fairy, pausing only long enough at the entrance to wave a lightadieu with her snow-white hand. Left to themselves once more, the youthswalked slowly away from the cavern, for they had a wish that, if seen, their location might not suggest in the most remote manner, thewhereabouts of Rosa Minturn. 

"I don't suppose there's much we can do, " said Jo, as they halted nearthe spot where Ned Clinton had left the brother and sister. "You mightgo over the same route that you followed when you were looking for theMohawk, as you have made yourself familiar with it. "

"That strikes me as a good plan, " replied Ned; "there can be no tellinghow long I'll be gone, as it will depend upon what I see, but if I candiscover nothing you may look for me back at the end of an hour or so. "

"All right, " said Jo. "There's no hurry about it; come when you getready, and I'll do the same. "

And in this off-hand manner the young scouts separated, neither dreamingthat danger threatened. Ned followed the course indicated, now wellknown to him. It was only a brief walk to the tree, and there he pausedawhile. 

"I was fortunate enough to make a discovery when I climbed that treethis morning, " he reflected, "and I may succeed in doing something ofthe kind if I try it again. But I would rather fail, for I don't want tosee another Tory or Indian until Lena-Wingo comes back to us, ready tolead the way into Wilkesbarre. But if there's any one there, I ought toknow it, so I'll take another look from the tree-top. "

He leaned his rifle against the trunk, and was about to make an upwardleap, for the sake of grasping the lowermost limb when he saw a handsuddenly thrust from behind the tree, and his weapon was whisked out ofsight like a flash. Before he could recover from his amazement he wassurrounded by a half dozen Iroquois warriors and made prisoner!

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

CAPTIVE AND CAPTORS. 

The capture of Clinton by the six Iroquois was done as artistically asif the whole thing were a play in which all had studied and rehearsedtheir parts. The youth had not the least suspicion of the peril, untilhe saw the hand suddenly extended and the rifle withdrawn at the samemoment he leaned it against the tree trunk. Then, before he was able toform an idea of what it meant, the Indians came out, he was surroundedand all escape cut off. His gun was beyond his reach, and, wherever heturned, he was confronted by a painted and fully armed Indian warrior. 

Ned was confident that these were the same ones he had seen under thecommand of Captain Bagley, and he looked around for that officer. But hewas not to be seen. It was a small matter, however, whether they werethe same redmen or not. It was not to be expected that there was anyperceptible difference between the Iroquois--let them come from whateverpart of the country they chose. 

The warriors seemed to enjoy the consternation depicted on the face oftheir prisoner, who was speechless for a minute or so. But Ned wasbrave, and there was no shrinking when he was called upon to face one ofthe possibilities of the warfare in which he was engaged. The firstreally strong emotion of which he was sensible was that of astonishment, as he recalled the events of the past few days, during which he had metwith so many narrow escapes, both from death and capture. Now he hadfallen a victim just like a lamb when driven into a corner by theslayer. The next matter which agitated him was the question whether theIroquois would kill him then and there, or whether they meant topreserve him for future punishment and torture. It must have been thatthey had received instructions from higher authorities that the whites, whenever possible, were to be taken prisoners instead of being shot, forthey made no demonstration toward the fugitive in their power. 

After the first feeling of amazement passed, and the captors andcaptured seemed to understand the situation more fully, the Iroquoisstood for several minutes in a conversation which seemed to Ned toconsist mainly of exclamations and gestures. He concluded they werediscussing what was best to do with him. As he was unable to catch themeaning of a single word uttered, he busied himself in trying to readtheir sentiments through the gestures in which they indulged. This was ahard task, for they were not of a character natural and expressive tohim. But when the thing had lasted some time, he caught the name ofLena-Wingo pronounced by one of them. This led the youth to suspect theywere discussing some other question, having determined what was to bedone with him long before. 

It might be that the warriors were arguing the question whether theyshould attempt to reach the cavern, seeing that they had secured one ofthe fugitives, who could conduct them direct to the spot. But, in casesuch was their intention, Ned was resolved that he would die beforeplaying the part of guide and thus be the means of delivering Rosa intothe hands of Colonel Butler. If they addressed him, even, in brokenEnglish, he could feign an ignorance of what they said; and, if itshould prove impossible to carry out that artifice, he would simplyrefuse to lead them, and they could do their worst. Fortunately, however, he was not subjected to the trial. The conversation lasted buta short time, when the Indians seemed to conclude it wise for them toleave the immediate neighborhood, for Lena-Wingo was abroad, and therewas no telling when or where he would strike, nor in what manner hewould call on them. 

"I suppose they're on their way to camp, " thought Ned, following asobediently as a child, "and I am likely to meet the great ColonelButler. I know what he thinks of me, and he won't be apt to adopt me asa brother. "

The mind of the young man was very active, and he indulged in all kindsof speculation as he moved toward his unknown destination. He was wellaware that the Tory commander held him in especial hatred, for thereason that he knew that he loved Rosa Minturn, and suspected that sheloved him in return. Surrounded by such heartless allies as were theIroquois, a cruel man like the Tory could readily find the means ofdoing what he willed in the way of punishing a rival in the affectionsof a lady. After indulging in these reflections until he wearied, theprisoner found himself wondering as to how long it would be before theMohawk would find out what had befallen his young friend. 

"I think he will conclude to give me up, " muttered Ned, "for whenever hegoes off to look after the interests of Rosa, he comes back and findsthe rest of us have gotten into trouble. It would have been a great dealbetter if he had left Jo and me at home, for we have been of littlehelp. He may be gone till long after dark, and when he returns it willbe too late for him to devote any attention to me, even if he has theinclination to do so. As for Jo, " continued Ned, following out his trainof thought, "it may be a long time ere he suspects what has befallen me;I didn't set any fixed time when I would return, and may stay away aslong as Lena-Wingo himself before he will dream anything has happened. "

His thoughts were called from these speculations by the party having himin charge. They came to a halt, and acted as if they had discoveredsomething of an alarming character. Several warriors darted to cover, asif in quest of something in the undergrowth, while the others stoodlistening and peering into the woods about them. It was natural thatNed should suspect the presence of Lena-Wingo when he saw this, and hisheart beat high with the hope of some rescue organized by that scout, who was so fertile in all the expedients of the war-path. Had hereflected, he would have known that if the Mohawk had attempted any suchthing, he would have managed it in such a way that the Iroquois wouldnot have discovered it so readily. The halt lasted but a few minutes, when the warriors who had gone into cover so suddenly reappeared, a fewwords were exchanged, and the march was resumed. 

"I'd like to know what all that was for, " thought Ned. "We have comequite a distance, " he added, looking up and about him, "and we ought tobe very near the camp of Colonel Butler by this time. "

THE END. 

 The sequel to The Wilderness Fugitives is entitled "Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk. "

HURLBUT'S STORY OF THE BIBLE

FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

BY REV. JESSE LYMAN HURLBUT, D. D. 

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 Transcriber's notes:

 '=' denotes bold type. P17: Extraneous opening quote removed from before But. 'the highest point. But, "' p24: someone changed to some one for consistency. 'the coming of some one. ' p54: rifle-shot changed to rifle shot to match other incidences. P61 & p217: anyone changed to any one for consistency. P91:, changed to . 'any time since starting. ' p98 & p120: Sh! changed to 'Sh! for consistency (three occurrences). P112: red-men changed to red men to match other incidences. P112: up-stream changed to up stream for consistency. P113: down-stream changed to down stream for consistency (two occurrences). P128: ! added to chapter title to match table of contents. P145: hyphen removed from 'south-east' to make spelling consistent. P145: hyphen removed from 'south-eastern' to make spelling consistent. P176: hyphen added to 'Lena-Wingo' to make it consistent. P184: starting-point changed to starting point to make it consistent. P196: missing opening quote added. '"But it won't do to' p215: red men changed to redmen for consistency. P227: goodly sized changed to goodly-sized for consistency. P247: '. ' added after box. P250: Extraneous opening quote removed from before The. 'The "Old Cotton Gin"'