the root-house. And
so, afther matters came to the worst, we got in there, with food enough
to last until those thieves who wanted our scalps had taken themselves
off. As to cutting our way through the enemy, I knew well enough that
would not suit me; for I could not run, and Klitz would have been a mark
a mile off. So, when you rushed out, he and I dropped down through the
trap and stowed ourselves away. The Indians, marcifully, niver came to
look for us. In truth, while they were hunting about down came the
building on their heads, and we could hear their shrieks and cries as
they tried to scramble out from among the flames. If it had not been for
a small vent-hole far away up in a corner, we should have been
suffocated, maybe. All day long we could hear them screeching and
hallooing outside the house; but before night the thieves of the world
took themselves off, we suppose, for all was silent.

"At the end of a couple of days we thought we might safely venture to
take a few mouthfuls of fresh air, and begin to work our way out from
among the ruins. It was no easy job, but we got free at last. Neither
Redskin nor white man was to be seen; and of all the buildings, the hut
and the mill only were standing. The villains had carried off all our
blankets and most of the cooking-pots, but enough was left for our
wants, seeing that we had nothing to put in them. However, Klitz was not
the boy to starve. He soon caught some fish, and I got hold of a sheep
which came up to the door; and if there had only been a dhrop of the
cratur', we should have lived like princes. One thing there was which
the Indians had not carried off, and that was a wheel-barrow. When Klitz
saw it, 'We will go to California!' says he. Says I, 'I'm the boy for
it!' So, as we had our muskets and a few rounds of ammunition, afther
drying the mutton and making some other necessary preparations we set
off. The Indians had left the country, and no one stopped us, so surely
your honour won't be so hard as to stop us now!"

"That must depend on what Lieutenant Broadstreet has to say in the
matter," I observed. "I am under his orders, and will conduct you to
him."

Klitz elongated his visage on hearing this, but Barney took the matter
with his usual good-humour.

In consideration of the dangers the men had gone through, and their
conduct in the defence of the farm, the lieutenant treated them kindly.
He could not allow them to continue on their way to Calif