e considered in the
light of positive commands. And then, as Lena-Wingo arose to go, he
paused a minute or two while he explained a little secret about the
cavern which he believed was unknown to everybody except himself. This
was, that there was another means of ingress and egress to it, the
ancient occupants of the same having probably constructed a means of
escape in case their enemies should press them too hard. This consisted
of a narrow underground tunnel, running from the couch where Rosa had
obtained her brief rest, and rising to the surface beneath a broad flat
stone, near a mass of dense undergrowth. The entrance to it from the
interior of the cavern was covered in the same manner, and it is hardly
likely that Evans himself was aware of its existence. The stone that hid
the mouth at either end of the tunnel was so thin that a man could lift
it with a slight effort, and, no doubt, at some time or other they had
answered a good purpose.

Jo and Ned were delighted with this discovery, and were confident that,
if a company of Iroquois should swoop down upon them, they could keep
them at bay until nightfall, and then steal out without discovery.
Nothing more remained for Lena-Wingo to say; and, as he was a man of
few words, he vanished almost immediately into the forest.

"I don't apprehend that there is danger of our disregarding the wishes
of Lena-Wingo this time," said Ned, with a laugh, when they found
themselves alone.

"No, I'll be hanged if there is!" replied Jo. "We have done that once or
twice, and it has always got us into trouble where he had to help us out
again."

"I supposed that he would be angry when we spoke about it," remarked
Rosa, "but he showed no feeling at all."

"I understand how that came about," added Jo, with a significant look
toward his friend. "Ned has made him believe it was all his fault, and
Lena-Wingo has poured out his wrath upon his head, so that none was left
for us."

"Is that true?" asked Rosa, looking into the face of her admirer, who
blushed and tried to turn the conversation.

As there was no escaping the accusation, Ned had to take a scolding from
Rosa herself, who loved him none the less for this little act of
self-abnegation.

"See here!" exclaimed the victim, "One of the suggestions of Lena-Wingo
was that Jo and I should keep a lookout while the day lasted, so that
none of the big Indians might steal down here and eat up Rosa right
before our eyes. What do yo