ly well; two slight wounds, not more than the
breaking of skin, and that was all. Fresh strength came to them, and as
they continued their journey the bars of pale light broadened and
deepened, and then fused into a solid blue dawn, as the last cloud
disappeared and the last shower of rain whisked away to the northward. A
wet road lay before them, the drops of water yet sparkling here and
there, like myriads of beads. Ross drew a deep breath of relief and
ordered a halt.

"The Shawnees could follow us again," he said, "but they know now that
they bit off somethin' a heap too tough for them to chaw, an' I don't
think they'll risk breaking a few more teeth on it, specially after
havin' been whipped aroun' by the storm as they must 'a been."

"And to think we got away and brought our salt with us, too!" said Mr.
Pennypacker.

Dark came soon, and Ross and Sol felt so confident they were safe from
another attack that they allowed a fire to be lighted, although they
were careful to choose the center of a little prairie, where the rifle
shots of an ambushed foe in the forest could not reach them.

It was no easy matter to light a fire, but Ross and Sol at last
accomplished it with flint, steel and dry splinters cut from the under
side of fallen logs. Then when the blaze had taken good hold they heaped
more brushwood upon it and never were heat and warmth more grateful to
tired travelers.

Henry and Paul did not realize until then how weary and how very wet
they were. They basked in the glow, and, with delight watched the great
beds of coals form. They took off part of their clothing, hanging it
before the fire, and when it was dry and warm put it on again. Then they
served the rest the same way, and by and by they wore nothing but warm
garments.

"I guess two such terrible fighters as you," said Ross to Henry and
Paul, "wouldn't mind a bite to eat. I've allers heard tell as how the
Romans after they had fought a good fight with them Carthaginians or
Macedonians or somebody else would sit down an' take some good grub into
their insides, an' then be ready for the next spat."

"Will we eat? will we eat? Oh, try us, try us," chanted Henry and Paul
in chorus, their mouths stretching simultaneously into wide grins, and
Ross grinned back in sympathy.

The revulsion had come for the two boys. After so much danger and
suffering, the sense of safety and the warmth penetrating their bones
made them feel like little children, an