on the bank which served as posts to our landing-place.

"Yes. Take your piece, Master George," said Morgan, "and don't shout
aloud. Let's have a good look round first."

It was good advice, and we made our rowers take the boat up a couple of
hundred yards past the landing-place, and then let her drift back. But
all was still. There were two or three busy squirrels, and some birds,
but no sign of lurking enemy.

"It's quite safe, I think," I said.

"Yes, sir, safe enough. No Indian here, or we should have had an arrow
at us before now."

"We may fasten the boat there, and leave it?" I said.

Morgan hesitated.

"Well, yes," he said; "we had better keep all together. It would not be
fair to leave those two alone to mind her in case the Indians did come."

"If they do," I said, "we must retreat overland if we can't get to the
boat."

"Or they get it first," said Morgan, grimly.

So we landed at the familiar place, the boat was made fast, and with
Hannibal carrying one of the guns, we started for the old home, all
eager and excited except Pomp, whose brow puckered up, and I knew the
reason why--he had no gun to carry.

"Here, Pomp," I said; "you keep close to me, and carry my gun."

The sun was shining brilliantly over the river; now it began to shine in
the wood all over Pomp's smooth black skin, out of his dark eyes, and
off his white teeth, as he shouldered the piece, now the very embodiment
of pride.

We had not far to go, and as we went on and found everything as we had
left it, and no signs of enemy, the shrinking feeling which had haunted
me, and made me fancy I saw a living savage behind every great tree,
passed away, and I strode on till we reached the clearing where Morgan
and I killed the rattlesnake, and there the same shrinking feeling
attacked me again, for it was here that we had long back made our first
acquaintance with the enemy.

My eyes met Morgan's, and he was evidently thinking the same thing as he
gave me a nod.

"No rattlesnakes here to-day, sir," he said, and he smiled meaningly,
"not of any sort. Shall I go first?"

"No," I said, rather unwillingly, for I felt that I ought to lead; and,
taking the firelock now from Pomp, I went toward the path leading
through the forest trees to our larger clearing where the house and
garden stood.

"Mass' George let Pomp go firs and see if any-boddy dah," whispered the
boy.

"No," I said; but Morgan turned to me quickly, as Pomp lo