would themselves be attacked and shot from ambush
by the emboldened savages.

The trail that Bob had made, leading up from the river tilt and along
the creek which flowed from the first lake, was plainly marked; and
they proceeded with the long, swinging stride characteristic of the
woodsman, rapidly and without a halt, to the point where the trail
entered the lake. Here a wide circuit around the lake shore was
necessary, and it was nearly noon when they fell again into the trail
at the farther end and came upon the first tilt.

"We may's well stop an' boil th' kettle," said Dick, throwing down the
light pack of provisions he carried and mopping the perspiration from
his forehead, for the mid-day sun was warm. "If we were only havin' a
canoe, now, we'd be a rare piece farther. 'Twere a long cruise around
the lake."

"Aye," agreed Ed, "a canoe'd ha' saved us a good two hours. We may's
well put th' fire on outside; 'twill be warm in th' tilt."

"Now I'm wonderin' what th' Injun lass is up to," said Dick, as they
sat down to their simple meal of fried pork and camp bread.

"She's got a canoe. There's her footin' by th' lake, where she makes
her landin'."

"They's no tellin' what an Injun's goin' t' do, but I'm not thinkin'
'twill be much harm, t' th' Mingens with just a bow an' arrer, an'
that's all she has in th' way o' weapons, so far's I makes out,"
declared Ed, adding: "She were a wonderful fine-lookin' lass; now,
weren't she?"

"That she were," agreed Dick, "wonderful handsome--an' wonderful
wild-lookin', too."

"Th' poor lad!" said Ed, after a pause. "He were buildin' th' tilt
yonder, thinkin' o' th' good furrin' he were t' have th' winter, an'
now he's gone. I'm not knowin', Dick, how t' tell his mother. You'll
have t' tell she, Dick; I couldn't stand t' tell she."

"No," objected Dick, "you were goin' an' tellin' she th' time we
thinks th' wolves gets Bob, an' you knows how. You'm a wonderful sight
better breakin' bad news than me, Ed. I'd just be bawlin' with she,
an' she cries; an' she sure will, for 'twill break her heart this
time, an' Bob sure gone."

"Maybe none of us'll be havin' th' chanct," broke in Bill. "They may
be a big passel o' Mingens, and whilst we catches some of un, th'
others won't be sittin' quiet."

"Ed an' me's keepin' a watch for signs," assured Dick, as they arose
to continue their journey. "They ain't been no signs so far, exceptin'
signs o' th' poor lads an' th' Injun lass