re two adults
against a single boy.

Burwink however, was more of a man than his companion. He looked
smilingly at Ben and said--"Jabez, I reckon this has gone far enough."

"What do you mean?'" angrily asked the other.

"You must leave the little gal alone."

"Oh, thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Mrs. Ripley. "I might have known
you would see that right is done."

Zitner had a few sharp words with his friend, but the latter was
immovable. He would not listen to his proposition, and that ended the
matter.

"Well," finally said Zitner, rising to his feet, "I intended to see you
folks safe to the Delaware; but I won't have anything to do with you
now. Come, Horace."

He strode off without another word or looking to the right or left.
Burwink waited a minute, and then, with a quizzical look at Mrs. Ripley
and her son asked--

"Do you think you can stand it?"

"We shall have to," replied Ben.

"Well, goodbye, and good luck to you;" and he followed his friend among
the trees.

"That was a luckier ending than I expected," remarked Ben, letting down
the hammer of his rifle.

"If Mr. Burwink had sided with him, there would have been no help for
it," said his mother.

"Such people are always cowards. I wasn't afraid of him."

Now that they had departed, Linna came over to her champion--though she
could not have fully understood all that had passed--and placed her hand
confidingly on his shoulder.

"Linna, I have two sisters," he said tenderly; "yonder is one, and her
name is Alice: can you tell me the name of the other?"

"Yes--she name be Linna."

"You are right. Now, if you will kiss me, I won't tickle you any more
for making my nose itch this morning."

The lips were put up to his, and with deep affection on the part of
both, the salute was exchanged.

"If any more white people show themselves, and they ask you your
father's name, let mother and me answer for you."

"Me do what you say," was the obedient response.

It need not be said that our friends were greatly relieved by the
departure of Zitner. While as I have already said, they ought to have
been glad of the company of him and Burwink, they would have been ill at
ease so long as the surly fellow was with them. He surely held no good
will toward the little girl, and would have found some chance to show
it.

"But are we really rid of him?" asked Ben of his mother. The two sat
close to each other on the tree, and the children were playing a