rouble."

John agreed to this way of reasoning, hoping as Ree did, that it would be
only a few days until they would see Tom and learn what his plans were.
But time passed rapidly and nothing was seen or heard of the missing man.
Had Tom been anything but a skilled woodsman the lads might probably have
worried for his safety. As it was, that phase of the situation was
scarcely thought of.

By working early and late, thawing the frozen clay beside their fire,
when the weather was cold, that they might quickly get all the cracks in
the cabin walls closed up, the boys accomplished a great deal in a week's
time. Several times little parties of Indians came to trade with them,
but the savages never mentioned Tom Fish's name. Big Buffalo came once
and appeared more hateful than ever, suggesting the unpleasant thought
that perhaps he knew more concerning the absent man than he would have
been willing to tell.

The Delawares were not the only Indians who passed along the river and
stopped to exchange skins for cloth, knives, beads or other articles. The
Wyandots, Chippewas and Senecas had villages to the west and north and
were coming or going quite frequently. Sometimes wandering Mingoes came
along, and for them it may be said that they were more disposed to make
trouble than any of the others. The reason probably lay in the fact that
they were still to some extent influenced by British traders who retained
feelings of hostility toward the colonies, and used their influence to
secretly cause Indian disturbances along the borders.

At no great distance from the cabin was the Portage trail referred to in
the previous chapter as passing near the Delaware town. This path was
much used by all the Indians in traveling between the Great Lakes and the
Ohio river, as it was the only stretch of land they must cross in making
all the remainder of the journey by water. Thus they willingly carried
their canoes over eight miles or so of land from the Cuyahoga to the
Tuscarawas river, or vice versa, for the sake of paddling on their way
with ease and rapidity the rest of the way, either north or south.

Thus, as their visitors were many, the loft the boys had built in their
cabin came to contain a richer and richer store, as they placed there the
furs they secured. Sitting before the fire at night they would sometimes
estimate their probable profits, and as they discussed this and other
subjects, the lads never forgot that their safety w