raightened and drew a deep breath, and in a low voice said:

"At last you've answered me. Now go!"

I withdrew from the cabin and from the group of men. Dale's heavy voice
was doubly hateful in my ears. The settlement was a small place. Patsy had
dismissed me, and there was scarcely room for me without my presence
giving her annoyance. I went to the cabin where I had left my few
belongings and filled my powder-horn and shot-pouch. I renewed my stock of
flints and added to my roll of buckskins, not forgetting a fresh supply of
"whangs" for sewing my moccasins. While thus engaged Uncle Dick came in
and began sharpening his knife at the fireplace.

"Why do that?" I morosely asked. "You are safe from Indian attacks now the
trader has told the Shawnees you are under his protection."

He leered at me cunningly and ran his thumb along the edge of the knife
and muttered:

"If some o' th' varmints will only git within strikin'-distance! They sure
ran away night before last, but how far did they go? Dale seems to have a
pert amount o' authority over 'em; but how long's he goin' to stay here?
He can't go trapezin' up 'n' down these valleys and keep men 'n' women
from bein' killed by jest hangin' some white wampum on 'em."

"What do the men think?"

"Them that has famblies are hopin' th' critters won't come back. Younger
men want to git a crack at 'em. Two nights ago th' younkers thought Dale
was mighty strong medicine. A night or two of sleep leaves 'em 'lowin' th'
creek may be safe s'long as he sticks here. Some t'others spit it right
out that Black Hoof is playin' one o' his Injun games. If that pert young
petticoat wa'n't here mebbe we could git some o' th' young men out into
th' woods for to do some real scoutin'.

"If my eyes was right I'd go. As it is, th' young folks keep runnin' a
circle round th' settlement, lickety-larrup, an' their minds is on th'
gal, an' they wouldn't see a buf'lo if one crossed their path. Then they
hustle back an' say as how they ain't seen nothin'. I 'low some o' th'
older men will have to scout."

"I'm going out. I'll find the Indians' trail and follow it," I told him.

"That'll be neighborly of you. If they chase you back an' git within
stickin'-distance I'll soon have their in'ards out to dry."

I decided to leave my horse, as the travel would take me through rough
places. Shouldering my rifle, I struck for the western side of the
clearing. Dale had disappeared, gone into the Davis ca