'll look like a Christian," said the careless rover, as I walked
away.

"No bad advice," I thought, for I was now determined to make for the
English settlements as fast as I could, "and I will do so when I once
see an English habitation, but not before; I may fall in with Indians
yet."

I then set off as fast as I could, and being now inured to running for a
long time without stopping, I left the rover a long way behind me in a
very short time. I continued my speed till it was dark, when I heard
the barking of a dog, which I knew was English, for the Indian dogs do
not bark. I then proceeded cautiously and in the direction where I
heard the dog bark, and arrived in a quarter of an hour to a cleared
ground, with a rail fence round it.

"Thank God!" I cried, "that I am at last among my own countrymen."

I considered, however, that it would not be prudent to show myself,
especially in my Indian paint, at such a time of night, and I therefore
sat down under the lee-side of a large tree, and remained there till
morning. I then looked about for water, and having found a running
stream I washed off my paint, and appeared what I really was, a white
man in an Indian dress. I then went up again to the clearing, and
looked for the habitation, which I discovered on the top of a hill,
about four hundred yards off. The trees were cleared away for about
three hundred yards all round it. It was built of heavy logs, let into
one another, with one window only, and that very small. The door was
still shut. I walked up to it, and tapped at the door.

"Who's there?" replied a hoarse voice.

"An Englishman, and a stranger," I replied. "I have just escaped from
the Indians."

"We'll see what you are in a very short time," replied the voice.
"James, get me my gun."

In a minute the door opened, and I beheld a woman more than six feet
high, of gaunt appearance and large dimensions: I thought that I had
never seen such a masculine creature before. It was her voice which I
had heard. Two men were seated by the fire-place.

"Who are you?" said she, with the musket ready for the present.

I told her in a few words.

"Show me the palm of your hand--turn it up at once."

I did so, without the least idea of the reason for the demand; but I
afterwards discovered that it was to ascertain whether I was one of
those who had been transported to the settlement, as they all had the
letter R branded on them.

"Oh, you're not a gao