as they did so, each saw the old grin with which they were
becoming so familiar.

"Lena-Wingo say nothing," was the unexpected reply of their guide, who
still leaned on the pole as if waiting for the others to finish their
discussion and enter the boat.

"But you must say something," persisted Jo; "you don't suppose we are
going to let our haste to cross blind us to the means we use."

"If want to go over t'other side, Lena-Wingo push over--if don't want to
go in boat, Lena-Wingo wait and get t'other boat."

This answer was hardly more satisfactory than the first, and Jo refused
to accept it as an answer at all.

"We aren't going to let you get out that way," continued the young
scout; "we want a reply to the question I put to you."

Without relaxing the broad grin on his painted face, the Mohawk said:

"Lena-Wingo take over in this boat, if want to go."

Jo was half angry, and was on the point of saying something impatient,
when his sister interfered.

"Lena-Wingo has answered your question, Jo; he says that he will take us
across in this boat, if we want him to, and I'm sure that is as plain
an answer as any one could ask for."

"It isn't as clear as I want, but if you are satisfied I'm certain that
Ned and I are also, and have nothing more to say."

"I am not afraid to trust myself in this boat with him, for I am
convinced he wouldn't undertake it if he wasn't confident he could
accomplish the voyage. So go ahead, Lena-Wingo, for there has been so
much delay that we'll never get across if we wait much longer."

This settled the question, and the preparations for the embarkation
followed immediately. The scow was shoved off a little from the shore,
so that the combined weight would not make it too difficult to move it.
Then Rosa took her place in the furthest part, and her brother and lover
did the same. Lena-Wingo waited till all had arranged themselves, when
he forced the craft clear of the land, and sprang lightly into it, as it
was still moving away into the stream.

The handling of a pole is not an occupation to which the Indians, as a
general thing, are trained, and it was not to be expected that the
Mohawk would display anything like the skill which he possessed in the
management of the paddle. But Lena-Wingo was one of those individuals,
occasionally seen, who seem to take naturally to any kind of physical
exercise, and he controlled the rather awkward implement in a way that
excited more than