d
I will do the best we can for thee. It is lucky for thee, that as thee
cannot fight, thee has the power to fly; and, truly, for the poor women's
sake, it is better thee should leave the woods in peace."

With that, Nathan directed the young man's attention to the pursuing
foes, who, having by some mischance, lost the trail, had scattered about
in search of it, and at last recovered it; though not before two of them
had approached so nigh the ridge on which the observers lay as to give
just occasion for fear lest they should cross it immediately in front of
the party of travellers. The deadly purpose with which the barbarians
were pursuing him Roland could infer from the cautious silence preserved
while they were searching for the lost tracks; and even when these were
regained, the discovery was communicated from one to another merely by
signs, not a man uttering so much as a word. In a few moments, they were
seen again, formed in a single file, stealing through the woods with a
noiseless but rapid pace, and, fortunately, bending their steps towards a
distant part of the ridge, where Roland and his companions had so lately
crossed it.

"Get thee down to thee people," said Nathan; "lead them behind the
thicket, and when thee sees me beckon thee, carry them boldly over the
hill. Thee must pass it, while the Shawnee-men are behind yonder clump of
trees, which is so luckily for thee on the very comb of the swell. Be
quick in obeying, friend, or the evil creatures may catch sight of thee:
thee has no time to lose."

The ardour of battle once driven from his mind, Roland was able to
perceive the folly of risking a needless contest betwixt a superior body
of wild Indian warriors and his own followers. But had his warlike spirit
been at its height, it must have been quelled in a moment by the
appearance of his party, left in the thicket, during his brief absence on
the hill, to feed their imaginations with terrors of every appalling
character; in which occupation, as he judged at a glance, the gallant
Dodge and Emperor had been even more industrious than the females, the
negro looking the very personification of mute horror, and bending low on
his saddle as if expecting every instant a shower of Indian bullets to be
let fly into the thicket; while Pardon expressed the state of his
feelings by trying aloud, as soon as Rowland appeared, "I say, Capting,
if you seed 'em, a'nt there no dodging of 'em no how?"

"We can escape,