petites of all were keen, and as they took seats on the ground and
ate as well as they could, with the help of the keen hunting knives of
the party, it would have been impossible to enjoy it more. Nobody but
the Mohawk knew how long it was since he had partaken of food, but had
the period been a week, he could not have shown a keener relish for the
nourishing meat. While employed in this pleasant manner, it was
explained how it came about that they were furnished with this supper.
As Jo had already told his sister, he and the Mohawk started off in
quest of food, when they affected such a mystery in their movements.

It was no time nor neighborhood in which to look for game, and their
purpose was to hunt some farm-house, where they hoped to find enough of
the stock left to furnish them with one meal at least. While on their
way through the woods, they came in sight of this same camp fire, which
they approached and reconnoitered. The first figure they recognized was
that of Colonel Butler, and next to him was Captain Bagley, his
well-chosen assistant, besides which there were four Iroquois Indians,
whose principal business seemed to be that of roasting a plump pig,
which they had stolen from some settler in the valley.

Colonel Butler was very loquacious, and talked so freely with the
captain that his purpose of crossing the river speedily became known to
the listening scouts. Some of his references to Rosa Minturn were such
that Jo would have shot him as he sat eating by his own camp fire, had
not the Mohawk interfered and quieted him with the philosophical
observation:

"Hain't got gal yet--won't get her--talk won't hurt her."

Although it was certain that the party meant to cross the Susquehanna
that night, probably as soon as the supper was finished, yet it did not
occur to the Mohawk that they intended to use the canoe which was
awaiting the whites. When the Tories and Iroquois completed their meal,
they started for the stream, and Lena-Wingo and Jo followed, keeping
them under scrutiny until they left the shore for the other side. The
party went off leaving their camp fire burning brightly, and as there
was no reason to believe that any of their allies were near little was
feared in returning to the scene and appropriating what was left as
fragments of their feast.

The friends, therefore, ate with that enjoyment which comes of a sharp
appetite, good food, and the consciousness that they need be in no hurry
to