might go out to hunt him up and give him a point or two about the lay of
the land in these parts."

"I suppose you are acquainted with it all?"

"Well, I ain't the man to boast, and don't know that it is bragging to
tell the truth. But if there is a spot I don't know all about in this
neighborhood I'm ready to pay a good reward for a sight of the same."

"It seems to me you might be able to do us a good turn."

"I'll do anything in the world for you and the lady, if I have the
chance. What have you in mind?"

"We feel that, as long as we occupy this position, we are in danger of
being swooped down upon by the Iroquois--"

"You can bet on that! Didn't I tell you a minute ago how many narrer
escapes I made while poking round in these woods? Why, it ain't an hour
ago since I saw three Indians that must have been some of the painted
Iroquois who are looking around for you!"

"Is that the case?" asked Jo Minturn, rising to his feet and walking
closer to their visitor. "How far off were they?"

"Not more than a quarter of a mile at the most, and it took careful work
on my part to keep out of their way."

The youths looked at each other with something like dismay, while Rosa
became deeply interested.

"There can scarcely be a doubt that they were hunting for us," said Jo,
in an undertone that was intended to escape his sister, but of which
every word reached her ear. "It isn't a pleasant situation, with
Lena-Wingo gone, and no one knowing when he will be back. He is the
shrewdest fellow in the world, but no one is smart enough to save
himself from mistake at all times. Who knows but that he has gone in
just such a direction that he will escape seeing the very Indians from
whom the visit is most likely to come?"

"I think that we had better get this fellow to take us to some good
hiding-places where we can place Rosa--at least, till the Mohawk comes
back. I don't believe he has any idea of trying to run into Wilkesbarre
while it is day, but is getting up some plan for stealing in at night
with her."

"It does look that way, which means our waiting in some place of hiding
till the time shall come to make the attempt."

"And this isn't much of a hiding-place, when the minute I climbed a tree
I was seen by Worrell, there."

"It makes Lena-Wingo angry," continued Jo, who felt a hesitation about
running directly in the face of the well-known wishes of the dusky
scout, "for us to disregard his instructions on a poin