Alice had been given bread when at Forty Fort,
and she now suggested that some more would not come amiss.

"We all need it," said Ben; "why not take our last meal in our old home?
You have no objection Omas?"

"Eat here," was his reply.

The guns were leaned against the walls, the blankets put aside and all
gathered round the board. The Delaware had done the same before when
visiting the family, and acquired the civilized form of eating, while
Linna picked it up during the brief time spent with her friends.

The meal lasted but a few minutes, when they once more gathered up their
luggage, as it may be called, left the house, and with Omas in the lead,
struck into the mountains on the long tramp to the Delaware.

The sun went down while they were picking their way through the rough
section. The Ripleys expected to do much hard travelling, but their
guide's knowledge of every turn enabled him to pick out paths which
none ever suspected. Sometimes the climbing was abrupt, but all, even to
Alice, were accustomed to that kind of work, and they kept up a steady
gait, which must have placed many miles to the rear if continued long.

Omas continued at the head. Directly behind him walked his child, the
path most of the time being so narrow that they were obliged to travel
in Indian file. Then came Alice and her mother, while Ben considered
himself the rearguard. When the space allowed, Alice took the hand of
her parent, but Linna never presumed to speak to or interfere with her
grim, silent parent.

Darkness closed around them before they had gone a couple of miles.
During all this time the tramp continued in silence, probably not a
dozen words being spoken. Each of the three elder was using eyes and
ears to the utmost.

The sharp crack of a rifle broke the silence, not more than a hundred
yards to the right of them. Everyone started except Omas, who acted as
if he did not hear the report. He made no change in his pace, and so
far as the others could see in the gloom, did not turn his head. They
concluded, therefore, that no cause for alarm existed.

Fairly through the mountain spur and among the deep woods, the journey
was pushed until the night was well along. Suddenly, Omas made a short
turn to the right and stopping in a hollow, where there were several
large boulders, he said--"We stay here all night."

The words were a surprise, for it was expected he would travel for
a long time. He, Mrs. Ripley and Linna coul