ontinued in this fashion, the party walking quite rapidly until they
were well into the rising ground of the mountains, when a halt was made.

It was a good omen that the whites had been able to go thus far without
encountering any of the Iroquois, and they were not a little cheered
thereby. But the fact remained--and it took somewhat from their
rejoicing--that they were further from Wilkesbarre at the time of
halting than they were at starting. It was because they had gone away
from instead of toward their destination that accounted for their
immunity from disturbance. Still, it is the longest way home which is
often the surest, and the Mohawk, in conducting his companions in that
direction, was only carrying out a plan which he had formed while on the
other side of the Susquehanna, and of which this was but the preliminary
step.

CHAPTER XXI.

A CURIOUS DISCOVERY.

"Stay here," said the Mohawk, as soon as they halted; "Lena-Wingo go
look for Iroquois--soon be back--don't go away--don't make noise,
listen--watch, don't go away."

"But suppose some of them come down upon us, Jack?" asked Ned,
determined to understand the situation as fully as possible.

"Keep out way--won't come down--stay away."

"Well, if you are enough satisfied to give me a written guarantee,
that's all there is about it. How long do you expect to be gone?"

"Not long--soon be back."

This was not very definite, but it was all the Mohawk would say, and
without any more words he took his departure, walking back over the
trail which they had been following since leaving the river.

"I can't understand why he is sure that no one will make a call on us
while he is gone," said Jo Minturn to Ned, as the three once more
seated themselves, this time on a fallen tree.

"The only reason that suggests itself to me is that he believes we are
so far off the track of the Iroquois that the only possibility that can
lead them this way is by their discovering our trail, and if they
attempt that, they will run against him, as he is going backward over
it."

"That seems to be a pretty good reason, but he may miss it,
nevertheless. There may not be much danger of an invasion from any other
direction, and yet there's no telling, either, from what point of the
compass these wretches may come."

"You ought to have explained all that," said Rosa. "I am quite sure that
Lena-Wingo would be grateful for all the instruction you can give him in
the ways