little boys to perform such a feat; for you recollect, ladies, that
Long Hair said that not only a number of guns were fired, but at the
same time; and to conclude that two little boys should fire off a
score of guns, more or less, simultaneously, is to assent to a
physical impossibility. The truth is, the deeper I go into this
matter, the more I'm puzzled. What is your opinion of it, Long
Hair?"

"Long Hair no sense; no tell; mind much dark;" and the Indian seemed
mortified that his sagacity was for once at fault. "No white settlers
in cabin; Charlie and Bub in cabin; much gun fire; hurt two, tree
Injin; scare much Injin--don't know."

"He means that he is certain that no settlers have returned to the
cabin," explained Mrs. Jones, "but that Charlie and Bub are there;
while as to who shot off so many fire-arms, he is as much in the dark
as ourselves."

"Well," said the general, rising, "there is one way to clear up this
mystery. I'll send a trusty detachment there at once to open the
secrets of the cabin."

Long Hair rose at this, and said,--

"White chief send sojer to cabin, right way, bimeby, quick?"

"Yes," replied the general, "and I should like to have you go with
them as guide."

"No," answered the Indian, sententiously; "Long Hair go 'lone; Long
Hair always go 'lone;" and, starting at a quick pace, he was speedily
out of sight.

CHAPTER XXI.

"PULL THE STRING, BUB."

The high state of excitement into which Charlie had been kept by the
startling events connected with the massacre, and his ingenious
defence of the cabin, brought about a reaction; great lassitude
alternated with feverish symptoms. He felt obliged to watch during the
long hours of night, and caught such snatches of sleep as Bub's
performances allowed by day.

One day, after Bub had had his breakfast, Charlie said,--

"I feel as if I was going to be sick, Bub; my mouth tastes dreadfully,
and my head aches so I can scarcely see. If I shouldn't get well, and
the Indians should come, you must remember and go into the hole in the
cellar, and pull the stone up in its place after you, just as I showed
you how, and keep still same as we did in the tree."

"And shall I have to take the toffee-pot and go to the spring, same's
you did?"

"No," said Charlie; "the Indians would see you and kill you if you
did, and we have a well in the yard. But I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll bring a pail of cold water now, and fill the coffee-pot,