had
received; "why didn't you wake me up, as I told you to do?"

"How could I wake ye up when I was aslaap mesilf?" was the pertinent
query of Terry; "I think I was only a half minute behind yersilf in
beginning me swate dreams."

"Even if you had roused me," said Fred, "I suppose I would have dropped
to sleep the same as you; no one can keep awake (unless it is Deerfoot)
while sitting on the ground. Well, I am sure I shan't say any thing
about it if _he_ doesn't."

"Let us shake on that," whispered Terry, stealthily extending his hand.

Deerfoot acted as though unaware that any such lapse had occurred. The
browned fish were spread on the green leaves, and Fred sprinkled the
seasoning upon the portions to be eaten by himself and Terry; the
Shawanoe preferred none on his.

"If nothing unexpected happens," said Fred, "we will arrive at the cabin
to-day."

The Shawanoe inclined his head by way of answer.

"When will the Winnebagos that are following us come to this stream?"

Deerfoot pointed to a portion of the sky which the sun would reach in
about three hours from that time.

"The Winnebagos are together; there may be a few coming from different
parts of the wood, but Black Bear has most of his warriors with him, and
he feels strong enough to destroy the cabin and our brothers who are
there."

"There are three there now, and when we join them there will be six. If
father and the rest have fair notice of their coming, they ought to be
able to put every thing in good shape for a defense. It won't take them
long to gather enough food to last for weeks, but how about water?"

"They have no water; our brothers know not why they should have it."

The Shawanoe meant to say that the men, seeing no reason why they should
collect any store of water within their primitive structure, never did
so. It was at their door, and, when they wished to drink, they had but
to stoop down and drink. Believing no such emergency as now threatened
could arise, they failed to make any provision against it.

"I've been thinkin'," said Terry, "that bein' as how we started from
Greville to j'in the Hunters of the Ozark, with the idaa of spindin' the
winter with the same, that from the time we started we were mimbers of
the same, but timporarily separated by a wide stritch of woods; what are
yer own idaas?"

"I am not sure that I understand what you are trying to get at, but if
you mean to say that we may call ourselves two of the Hun