on the other side. Ella
walked by my side, holding my hand, while Kit led the way through the
gloomy forest.

"Where do you suppose my father is now, Phil?" asked the poor girl.

"With the soldiers."

"But where are the soldiers?"

"They are in the woods beyond the Big Fish, I suppose. They must have
scoured the woods down to the Missouri before dark. I have no means of
knowing whether they were able to find any tracks of the fugitives to
assist them; if not, they have been very much puzzled."

"And all this time my poor father thinks I am in the hands of the
Indians, and fears that I have been killed or abused," added Ella.

"I am very sorry; but I do not see that we can do anything to-night to
relieve his anxiety."

"No, Phil, I see that you cannot. You have been very brave and noble,
and very kind to me, and I shall remember you with gratitude as long as
I live."

"I don't ask for anything better than to serve you," I replied. "In the
morning the troops at the Castle will start, and I have no doubt they
will communicate with those beyond the Big Fish in the course of the
day."

"I do wish father were here. I am afraid he will expose himself to the
Indians, or wear himself out, he is so anxious for me."

"We will do the best we can to let him know that you are safe. Perhaps
Kit and I will try to find him, as soon as we have conducted you to the
Castle, and relieved the anxiety of your poor mother."

"We marched very cautiously through the woods, and with our rifles in
our hands ready for instant use. In a short time, under the skilful
lead of the hunter, we reached the river; but I had left the barge a
mile farther down the stream.

"I am not sure that we shall find the barge where I left it, Kit," said
I, as we took the path on the bank of the Little Fish.

"Most like you won't, boy. That Injun that went down to look for
t'other mought have took it."

"What will you do, then?" asked Ella.

"We shall be obliged to walk another mile, to the landing-place."

My trembling companion was constantly in fear of an attack from the
savages, or that a shot from them would hit her, or some other one of
the party. I said all I could to comfort and assure her; but the
circumstances were so novel to her that she could not be reconciled to
them. As I was not without fear myself, I could not take the matter so
coolly as Kit did. But the old hunter, steady and brave as he was in
peril, was a prudent man, and not