to defend it
against a thousand savages."

"But the woods saam to be full of thim; there may be some kind of an
Indian war that has broke out and these are the first part of the rid
army that is to coom down and swaap us over the Rocky Mountains."

But Fred could not share in this prodigious fear. He faced to the front
again and laughed, as he resumed his walk.

"There couldn't be any thing like _that_ without warning reaching us;
some of the runners would have come to Greville with the news; besides,
Deerfoot would have been certain to know something about it."

"_That_ sittles it!" exclaimed Terry, with a sigh of relief; "ye are
right in sayin' the Shawanoe would have knowed about it; he would have
larned it before the spalpeens that started out on the war path, and,
bein' as he didn't say any thin', I'm sure ye are right; but all the
same, it looks bad for the Hunters of the Ozark, which maans oursilves
as well as the men in the mountains."

"There's no use of denying that there is enough to make all of us
anxious, but when I remember that father and Mr. Hardin and Bowlby have
spent so many years in the Indian country, I can not help feeling hope
that they will be able to take care of themselves. You know they are all
good shots and they have a cabin strong enough to stand a rough siege."

"I don't forgit the same; but there's a good many more rid than white
men and Mr. Bowlby is lame."

"What of that? He doesn't expect to fight with his feet."

"There are many scrimmages in which it's handy to use yer faat. If
Deerfut hadn't popped along just as I keeled over the Wolf I'd jumped
on him; then, do ye not mind that the men may take it into their heads
to run away."

"They have their horses," said Fred, foreseeing and agreeing with the
response that his young friend would make.

"Not one of 'em is worth a cint at such a time; a one-legged Indian
could outrun the fastest; they would have to stick fast to the trail
while the spalpeens would walk all around 'em."

"All that is true, but if they could get a good start, it would be very
handy for Mr. Bowlby to have one of the horses to ride."

"I don't see much chance of the same," was the sensible comment of
Terry; "but, me boy, have ye any idaa of what time it is?"

"It must be far beyond midnight: surely we are a long ways in advance of
the Winnebago camp where we left Deerfoot."

"They are not meaning to make a start to-night?"

"Of course not; they wil