nder doubtful whether I'll ever see the sun rise
ag'in."

"Sol," said Long Jim, "I sometimes think you're the biggest liar the
world hez ever produced, an' that's sayin' a heap, when you think uv all
them history tales Paul hez told. You know you don't want to be off five
hundred miles from here trappin' innocent beaver an' shootin' the
unprincipled buffaler. You know you want to be right here with the rest
uv us, trappin' the Injuns, an' shootin' the renegades ef the chance
comes."

"Wa'al, I reckon you're right," said the shiftless one slowly, "but I do
wish it would come easier. Ef I could rest comf'table on my bed an' hev
'em driv up to me, I wouldn't mind it so much."

The march down the river was attended by little noise, considering the
number of men who made it, and at the appointed place they found the
fleet ready to take them on board. The scouts reported that the enemy
had not been seen, and they believed that the advance was still a
secret. But the crossing of the river would be a critical venture, and
all undertook it with anxious hearts.

They had come back to one of the narrowest parts of the pass that had
cost them so much, but no enemy was here now, and silently they
embarked. All the five, as usual, were in one boat. It had turned
somewhat darker, and they could not distinctly see the farther shore.
Their eyes were able to make out there only the black loom of the forest
and the cliffs. Their boat had oars, at which Tom Ross and Jim Hart were
pulling, while the others watched, and, being scouts, they were well
ahead of the rest of the fleet.

"S'pose," said Shif'less Sol, "them woods should be full o' warriors,
every one o' them waitin' to take a shot at us ez soon ez we came in
range? Wouldn't that be hurryin' to meet trouble a leetle too fast?"

"But I don't think the warriors are there," said Henry. "It was good
tactics to come down the river before crossing, and if Indian scouts
were out they must have been fooled."

"I'm hopin' with every breath I draw that what you say is true," said
Shif'less Sol.

Henry, as he spoke, kept his eyes on the dark loom of forest and shore.
He did not believe that an Indian band would be waiting for them there,
but he could not know. At any time a sheet of rifle fire might burst
from the woods, and the boat of the five would be the first to receive
it. But he would not show this feeling to his comrade. He sat rigidly
erect, his rifle across his knees, and n