umber.

He was awakened some time later by the voice of his employer, calling,
"Come, Flagg! Turn out! the sun is all of two hours high, and here you
are still sleeping. You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

As the hunter emerged from his cabin, yawning and stretching, the major
continued: "I am on my way to visit our guests, or prisoners, as I
suppose we must now call them, and want you to act as interpreter.
Whether guests or prisoners, we must not allow them to starve, and if
they are half as hungry as I am at this moment, they must feel that
they are in imminent danger of it."

The honest soldier was amazed to find the door of the tool-house
unlocked, and still more so to discover that the place was empty.
"What does it mean?" he cried angrily. "Have we a traitor among us? or
is it witchcraft? Surely no human being, wounded so nigh unto death as
was that Indian but a few hours since, could have effected an escape
unaided."

"You forget that the squaw was with him," suggested the hunter.

"True; though how she could have unlocked the door passes my
understanding. Are you certain that you locked it after admitting her?"

"I am sartain," replied Truman Flagg, "for I tried it afterwards."

A prolonged, though unavailing, search was made through all the
buildings and the adjacent forest that morning. While it was in
progress the major appeared greatly chagrined at the turn of events;
but his outward demeanor concealed an inward satisfaction that he had
not been obliged to abuse the laws of hospitality, by treating his
guests as prisoners.

As for Mrs. Hester, she rejoiced so openly at their escape that the
hunter was finally emboldened to confess to her his share in it, and
deliver the message of the Indian woman.

CHAPTER V

A BABY LOST AND RECOVERED

In the scouting of that morning Truman Flagg took an active part, and
he alone of all who were out discovered the trail of the fleeing
Ottawas. Following it far enough to assure himself that no unfriendly
forest ranger had run across it, he turned his steps in the direction
of the Seneca village. Here, although he was received with a certain
coolness, arising from his participation in the incident of the
previous evening, no affront was offered him, and he had no difficulty
in acquiring the information he desired. Thus he was able to report to
Major Hester, on his return to Tawtry House, that Mahng not only lived,
but was in a fair way to reco