ibe
I'll be in front, runnin' on these long legs uv mine, an' you'll be
'bout a hundred yards behind, comin' on in a kinder doubtful an'
hesitatin' way."

"Here is good dry ground now," said Henry, "and I don't think we need to
go any farther."

They were on a small hilltop, densely covered with trees, and the five
gladly threw themselves down among the trunks. They were sure now that
they were safe from pursuit, and they felt elation, but they said
little. All of them took off their wet leggings and moccasins, and laid
them out to dry, while they rested and ate venison.

"I'm gittin' tired, paddlin' 'roun' in wet clothes," said Long Jim, "and
I hope them things uv mine will dry fast, 'cause it would be bad to hev
to run fur it ag'in, b'ar-footed this time, an' with not much of
anythin' on up to your waist."

"But think how much harder on you it would be ef it wuz winter," said
the shiftless one. "Ef you hed to break the ice in the branch ez you
walked along it, an' then when you come out hed nothin' but the snow to
lay down in an' rest, it would be time fur complainin'. Ez Henry says,
we're shorely hevin' luck."

"That's true, an' we've found another fine inn to rest an' sleep in.
Ain't this nice solid dry groun'? An' them dead leaves scattered 'bout
which we kin rake up fur pillows an' beds, are jest the finest that ever
fell. An' them trees are jest ez big an' honest an' friendly ez you
could ask, an' the bushes are nice an' well behaved, an' thar shore is
plenty of water in the forest fur us to drink. An' we hev a good clean
sky overhead. Oh, we couldn't come to a nicer inn than this."

"I'm going to sleep," said Paul. "I'm going to wrap my blanket around
the lower half of me, and if the warriors come please wake me in time,
so I can put on my leggings before I have to run again."

All soon slept save Henry and Ross, and, after a while, Henry clothed
himself fully, everything now being dry, and with a word to Ross,
started eastward through the forest. He believed that Blackstaffe, Red
Eagle and their party were somewhere in that direction, and he meant to
have a look at them. He was thoroughly refreshed by their long rest, and
alone he felt able to avoid any danger.

He advanced through the forest, a great flitting figure that passed
swiftly, and now, that he was the trailer and not the trailed, all of
his marvelous faculties were at their zenith. He heard and saw
everything, and every odor came to him. Th