ttle before noon, while casting his eyes along the dim horizon in
advance, Sneak abruptly paused, causing the rest to do likewise, and
exclaimed, "Dod rot it."

"What's the matter, Sneak? Remember the promise you made," said Boone.

"Oh," replied Sneak, "in sich an extronary case as this, I can't help
saying that word yet awhile. But look yander!" he continued, pointing
to a slight eminence a great distance in advance.

"True!" said Boone, "that is an Indian--but it is the only one
hereabouts."

"He is coming to meet us," said Glenn.

"Yes! my goodness! he's looking at us now," cried Joe, retreating a
few steps.

"If there are more of them watching us," said Col. Cooper, "they are
somewhere in our rear."

"Oh! we're surrounded!" cried Joe, leaping forward again.

"Come on," said Boone; "we'll soon learn what he wants with us."

When they were within a few hundred yards of the solitary Indian, they
again halted, and Joe ran to the sled and seized his musket, which he
cocked and threw up to his shoulder.

"Take down your gun!" said Boone; "that is the Indian whose life we
spared. I was not deceived in his integrity. He was not the one that
stole away Mary. I doubt not he brings intelligence of her."

"God grant she may still be unharmed!" said Roughgrove, advancing to
meet the Indian, who, being now within gunshot, raised his small white
flag. "Tell me! tell me all about her!" exclaimed Roughgrove, in the
Osage language, when he met the Indian. When the Indian informed him
of the condition of Mary, the old man could not repress his raptures,
his gratitude, or his tears. "She's safe! she's safe! Heaven be
praised!" he exclaimed, turning to his companions, who now came up,
and experienced almost as much joy at the announcement as himself.

"Hang me, if you ain't a right clever fellow," said Joe, shaking the
Indian's hand quite heartily. "Now," he continued, when all the
particulars of Mary's escape were made known, "there won't be any use
in fighting; we can just get Miss Mary out of the snow, and then go
home again."

"You don't know--keep your mouth shet--dod--," said Sneak, suppressing
the last word.

"We are not sure of that," said Boone; "on the contrary, I think it
is very probable we shall have fighting yet. When the war-party
discover the deception, (as they must have done ere this,) they will
retrace their steps. If it was early in the day when they ascertained
that the captive had escaped, we may