idden his mother and the children goodbye, but none of the three
was in sight. They had been swept aside by the rush of the terrified
people.

A cry sounded above the tumult, and before he could learn where it came
from, the arms of his mother were about his neck.

"Thank Heaven! my boy is safe! You do not know what I have suffered. I
could learn nothing about you. Are you hurt?"

"Not a scratch--which is more than many other poor fellows can say.
Where are the children?"

A tiny hand was slipped into his own, and looking down, there stood
Linna, with her forefinger between her teeth, looking shyly up at him.
There could be no doubt she felt fully acquainted.

Alice came forward on the other side. Neither understood the cause
of the turmoil about them. They were not scared, but were awed into
silence.

"I saw Omas," explained Ben to his mother; "he saved me from the fate of
many others."

"Where is he?"

"A little way off, under the bank, waiting with his canoe, to take us
across the river.

"He says we must hurry through the woods for the settlements on the
Upper Delaware. Every hour that we stay increases our danger."

"Let me take Alice; lead the way."

Clasping tight the hand of Linna, with his mother at his heels, Ben
pushed for the point where he had left the Delaware a few minutes
before.

Strange that though the distance was not far, and the confusion seemed
to be increasing every minute, the little party had not gone half way
when they were checked by one of the men that had been in the battle. He
was slightly wounded, and under the influence of liquor.

"Who's that you've got with you?" he demanded, looking down at Linna,
who saw no danger in the act.

"A friend of Alice and me."

"She looks like an Injin," added the soldier, scowling threateningly at
her; "if she is, I want her."

"I told you she is a friend of ours--get out of my way!"

The soldier's condition enabled Ben to tumble him over on his back by
means of a vigorous shove. Before he could steady himself and get upon
his feet again, the others were beyond reach.

I am sure he would not have acted that way, had he been in the
possession of his senses.

When Ben parted from Omas, he was without a rifle, but on joining him
again, the warrior had a fine weapon in his hand. It was not the one
with which he appeared at the house. The lad might have guessed how he
got it, but he did not ask any questions, nor seem to notice it.