eality or merely fancy.

"Did you see it, Tom?" he asked.

"I did, or at least I thought I did."

"Then, since we both saw it, it must have been reality, and it indicates
to my mind that Indians are on the south as well as on the north bank.
Maybe they have seen us here."

"Mebbe."

"Which renders it more likely that they may be on watch at the mouth of
the Licking for anything that passes."

"Mebbe."

"According to my calculation we'll be there in another hour. What do you
think?"

"I say one hour, too."

"And we'll let the boys sleep on until we see danger, if danger comes."

"That's what I'd do," replied Tom, casting a glance at the sleeping
figures.

No word was spoken again for a long time, but, as they approached the
dangerous mouth, Tom steered the boat further and further toward the
northern bank. Both remembered the shores here from their passage up the
Ohio, and Henry knew that the gap in the wall of trees on the south
betokened the mouth of the Licking. Tom steadily bore in toward the
northern bank until he was not more than thirty yards from the trees.
The moon and the stars meanwhile, instead of favoring them, seemed to
grow brighter. The river was a great moving sheet of silver, and the
boat stood out upon it black and upright.

Henry, with his eyes upon the black wall, saw two dots appear there and
then two more, and he knew at once their full significance. The ambush
had been laid, not for them in particular, but for any boat that might
pass.

"Tom," he said, "the Indian canoes are coming. Keep straight on down the
river. I'll wake the others."

The remaining four aroused, took their rifles and gazed at the black
dots which had now increased from four to six, and which were taking the
shape of long canoes with at least half a dozen paddlers in every one.
Two of the canoes carried sails which indicated to Henry the presence of
renegades.

"In a fight at close quarters they'd be too strong for us," said Henry.
"That force must include at least forty warriors, but we can run our
boat against the northern shore and escape into the woods. Are you in
favor of our doing that?"

"No," they answered with one accord.

Henry laughed.

"I knew your answer before I asked the question," he said, "and as we
are not going to escape into the woods we must prepare for a river race
and a battle. I think we could leave them behind without much trouble,
if it were not for those two boats with the sa