s beyond the reach
of Hay-uta.

Having decided on the course they were to follow, no time was lost in
talking over the plan agreed upon. Jack Carleton was informed of the
particulars by Deerfoot.

"I suppose it's the best thing to be done, though my opinion don't
amount to much in _this_ crowd. What am _I_ to do?"

"My brother may sleep," said the Shawanoe, with that slight approach to
humor which he sometimes showed.

"Yes; I would do a great deal of sleeping; but go ahead and I'll be on
the lookout for you. I don't suppose you can tell when you are likely to
get back?"

Deerfoot shook his head, but intimated that he hoped to learn all that
he sought to know before the coming night should end.

A few minutes previous to this, Hay-uta had walked down the stream,
keeping so far back that he could not be seen by any one on the other
side. The Shawanoe took the opposite direction, the purpose of each
being to act independently, and, in case circumstances brought them
together in the presence of the aliens, the agreement was that Sauk and
Shawanoe should comport themselves as though they had never met before.

When the time should come for the scouts, as they may be called, to
return to the shore from which they started, they would have no trouble
in finding Jack Carleton, with whom it was easy to communicate by means
of signals. The most trying task was that of the young Kentuckian
himself, who was left without any employment for mind or body.

Deerfoot walked several hundred yards up stream until he had passed a
bend, where he swam across. He kept his bow so far above surface that
the string was not wetted.

When he had surveyed himself, as best he could, he walked in the
direction of the camp of the hostiles, as he more than suspected they
should be classed. Had any one noticed him just then, he would have
observed that the Shawanoe walked with a limp, as though suffering from
some injury.

The readers of "Ned in the Block House," will recall that Deerfoot once
saved his life by feigning lameness, and the youth saw nothing to lose
and possibly much to gain by such strategy in the enterprise on which he
was engaged.

CHAPTER IV.

THE QUARREL.

Deerfoot was by no means free from misgivings when he limped from the
woods, and, crossing the narrow space that lined the stream, advanced to
the camp-fire around which the warriors were lounging.

Their appearance showed they were doughty fighters, and w