became composed enough to listen to the words that passed
between Captain Bagley and Worrell.

"You may say what you please," said the former, "but there is more risk
in this business than I want to assume. You are so anxious to get the
reward promised by Colonel Butler that you can't see the difficulties in
the way."

"If there were any difficulties I would see them, but they ain't there.
Where's the difficulty in eight armed men taking possession of two who
are asleep, and a woman who is also unconscious?"

"None, of course, when you put it in that way; but the Mohawk is
somewhere about, and, as I told you a while ago, he has a way of turning
up just when you don't want to see him."

"These Iroquois say they want to meet him, and if he is there, they'll
have the chance."

"But I ain't anxious to meet him, and if he is about, as I feel in my
bones he is, there'll be the mischief to pay."

Worrell uttered an imprecation. He had been obliged to keep up an
argument with the captain ever since they started from the house with
the Indians--even before; and now the man had halted again, more loth
than ever to proceed. It was plain that he held the Mohawk in great
fear.

"Where is this cave in which you say the party are asleep?" he asked, in
reply to the explanation of the guide.

"You have only to go a little way further with me and you'll see it,"
replied Worrell, who was evidently unwilling that any one should share so
valuable a secret with him.

"Colonel Butler has all of twenty of the best Iroquois with him, and the
wisest thing for us is to go to his camp, tell him how the case stands,
and get him to let us have eight or ten more; then we can come back and
lay regular siege to the place. Then we shall be sure of catching them
sooner or later."

"Yes, at the end of a month or so, and it won't do for Butler to stay
much longer in the valley. He knows it, and will leave in a day or two."

"But why speak of waiting a month before they can be taken, when thirst
and starvation will bring them to terms in a couple of days at the
most?"

"It will, eh?" said Worrell, contemptuously. "There is a spring of water
in one corner of the cavern, and they have enough provisions stored
there to last all of a month."

"How came the provisions in that place?"

"I took them there myself, for I have used the cave many a time."

This was a falsehood, so far as the water and food were concerned, the
cavern containing noth