t see anything to fear," remarked Sidney, "evidently the
savages are afraid of us, and if they are not, so long as they run away
from us, we are surely safe enough."

"You do not know the treachery of the Indians who apparently infest
these regions," said Jane. "Perhaps they are cannibals, and it would
then be terrible to fall into their hands."

"The Indians are not naturally treacherous; but the wrongs they have
endured have perverted their nature, and they meet treachery by the
treachery they have learned while smarting under it," said the trapper.

"The white chief speaks like one of us," said Whirlwind, proudly. "We
have endured wrong and suffering, and been submissive; but, at last,
goaded to resistance, our lands were drenched with the blood of our
wives and children, because our warriors dared to strike a blow for
freedom. All this we have suffered, and must finally suffer extinction,
while the pale faces will thrive on the soil enriched by our blood, and
to future ages hold us up as a nation notorious for all the vices and
crimes ever known, even that of drunkenness, which the Indian never
knew until the white man came to our then peaceful shores."

"You are not all treacherous, even now," said the trapper, "and whether
the tribe is to which these belong is for the future to determine. One
thing is certain, we must keep out of their hands if possible, and to
do this, we had better ride on as fast as we can, and place as great a
distance between us and them as we can before dark; for, if they
interfere with us, it will be undertaken after we are encamped for the
night."

Much to their relief, they were not molested, although they were kept
in constant excitement by seeing the Indians hanging on their trail,
keeping at a proper distance from them, halting when they halted, and
travelling when they travelled. This continued for several days, and
then the Indians entirely disappeared, greatly to the relief of our
wanderers.

For the last few days they had been travelling first in one direction
and then in another--alas! they knew not whither, perfectly bewildered.
They seemed to be disheartened in pursuing a regular course, and went
where their judgments dictated for the hour, perhaps retracing their
steps the next. One afternoon they came to a high, rolling part of the
forest, which terminated at the foot of a range of hills rearing their
heads in mural peaks, and on ascending them, they found that they
ove