ere to take them
to find what they wanted. There was no material change in the appearance
of the forest through which they were making their way, except that it
grew somewhat rougher and more difficult to traverse, though the company
continued to journey without any hesitation in their rate of progress.

They pushed along for quite a distance in this manner, when their guide
halted, as if he had again detected something that did not suit him. He
stood with his head bent in the way they noticed before starting, but
said nothing.

"What's up now?" asked Jo, who thought they might as well understand
everything as they went along.

"It's queer," replied their companion, in a low voice, "but I've fancied
once or twice that I heard signals in the woods just such as have caught
my ear when I knew the redskins were looking for some of us. Night
before last, I picked up a poor chap--Tom Haley, a settler living near
me, and was on my way to another place to hide him, when we heard the
same sort of sounds, and we stopped to listen to 'em, but we hadn't
stood more than five minutes when they come down on us. The first notice
we had was the banging of about a dozen rifles, and that was the last of
poor Tom. I was lucky enough to get away, but I don't want to meet any
more neighbors like that."

This was not cheerful or soothing information, and the three fugitives
felt anything but comfortable.

"Haven't you heard the sounds?" asked Worrell, addressing the three.

None of them had noticed anything, and Rosa asked:

"What do they resemble?"

"Nothing so much as the faint call of the whip-o'-will, so low and soft
that the ear can hardly catch it."

"It is strange that you should be the only one to notice it," she
continued; "are you sure that you weren't mistaken?"

"It may be I was, but my experience with the Iroquois has made me very
suspicious; but I do hope I was off the track, for it may prove a bad
thing if I wasn't."

"Do you hear it now?"

"Hark! let us listen."

All stood motionless, and scarcely breathing. But nothing resembling the
sounds described by their guide was noticed.

"It _does_ look as if I was mistaken," said Worrell, brightening up. "I
hope I was."

"It could be very well the other way," said Ned Clinton. "The Indians
may have made a dozen calls to each other, but they were not likely to
keep it up very long. A few signals would accomplish all they want."

Nothing was to be gained by argumen