ot sorry about the storm. It will stop the march of that Indian
army."

"And also hide any trail that we may have left yesterday or last
night," said Henry with satisfaction.

"What do you think we ought to do now, Henry?" asked Shif'less Sol.

"Eat our breakfasts, that is, chew our venison. I don't believe we can
do anything today, and there is no need, since the Indians can't move.
We'll stay here in hiding, and at night we'll go out again to explore."

"A whole day's rest," said the shiftless one, with deep approval.
"Nothin' to do but eat an' sleep, an' lay back here an' think. I'm not
eddicated like you an' Henry, Paul, but I kin do a power o' hard
thinkin'. Now, ef Jim tries to think it makes his head ache so bad that
he has to quit, but I guess he's lucky anyway, 'cause we're always doin'
his thinkin' fur him, while he's takin' his ease an' bein' happy."

"Ef I had been dependin' on your thinking', Shif'less Sol," said Long
Jim, "my scalp would hev been hangin' from an' Injun lodge pole long
ago."

"Well, it would look well hangin' thar. You hev got good thick hair,
Long Jim."

They finished their breakfast, and all of them sat down near the
opening. The fallen tree, while it hid the aperture, did not cut off
their own view. They were so close to it that they could see well
between the boughs and leaves. The rising sun, brilliant and powerful,
had now driven away all the clouds. The sky was once more a shining
blue, all the brighter because it had been washed and scoured anew by
wind and rain. The green of the forest, dripping everywhere with water,
looked deeper and more vigorous. Down in the valley they heard the
foaming of a brook that had suddenly become a torrent, and which with
equal suddenness would return to its usual size.

They remained all day in their retreat, seeing thin threads of smoke
three or four times against the blue sky, an indication that the
warriors had built their campfires anew, and were trying to dry
themselves out. Indians as well as white men suffer from rain and cold
and Henry knew that they would be sluggish and careless that night.
There was a bare chance that the five might get at the cannon and ruin
them in some manner, although they had not yet thought of a way.

It was decided that Henry and Shif'less Sol should make the second
expedition, Paul, Tom Ross and Long Jim remaining as a reserve within
their stone walls. The two did not disturb the fallen tree at the
entra