r aside with
one paw and start in. I gave him a shot as he was doing so, and it
finished him before he could get out of my reach."

The reports of the cavern being so favorable, the fugitives were glad to
avail themselves of its shelter without further delay. Ned Clinton was
the first to explore the retreat, he being obliged to assume a stooping
position to enter it. As soon as he was inside, he called to the others
to follow, and Worrell himself obeyed, Jo going next, while Rosa came
last.

The place was not a disappointment in the least when viewed from the
inside. The windows of which Rosa spoke proved sufficient to give all
the light they could ask, and more than the young scouts expected to
see. Besides, when they were fairly within it was noticed that the roof
ascended, while the floor was lowered to that extent that they could
easily stand at their full height--a luxury which any one in their
situation would have appreciated. It was dry, and there was nothing to
make them uncomfortable. Expressions of delight came from all, excepting
him who had taken them to the retreat. He seemed to enjoy listening to
the praise bestowed upon his choice.

"Ah! if some of the poor fellows who were fleeing from Monacacy and the
woods, after the battle," said Ned, "could have stumbled upon this they
would have been safe."

"And even if they had been seen," added Jo, "they could have turned it
into a fort itself, and held out against ten times their number."

"Then why can we not make the same use of it?" asked Rosa. "It will
serve us if Colonel Butler happens to discover where we are hid."

"He isn't going to discover us," put in Worrell, with a confidence which
gave the youths greater faith in their safety than before; but which,
strange to say, impressed Rosa in the opposite manner.

It was the manner rather than the words that grated on her
sensibilities, and she found her old mistrust of the man deeper than
before. It struck her that he was too ready to declare they were now
beyond the reach of Colonel Butler and his men. It was like parrying a
blow before it was struck, though the young men readily saw in the words
which called out the remark sufficient cause for the same. With this
suspicion came a conviction that, despite the critical position in which
they seemed to be placed, when awaiting the return of the Mohawk, they
had committed a perilous blunder in leaving the spot where he would
expect to find them.

"I