oy them, or to transform their savage and bitter foes into the
warmest and truest of friends.

"I feel better," said Fanny, after a moment of silence at the
conclusion of the prayer.

"So do I," replied Ethan, whose altered look and more resolute tones
confirmed his words. "I feel like I could fight some o' them Injins."

"We can do nothing by resistance."

"I dunno; if they don't burn the house, I reckon I know whar to find
some shootin' fixin's."

"Where?"

"Mr. Grant sort o' hid his rifle and things, for fear some un might
steal 'em, I s'pose. I know where they be; and I reckon them redskins
won't find 'em."

"Let us not think of resistance. There must be hundreds of Indians at
the settlement."

"'Sh!" said Ethan, impressively. "They're comin'."

The light step of the moccasoned feet of the savages was now distinctly
heard in the barn. Their guttural jargon grated harshly on the ears of
the fugitives in their concealment, as they tremblingly waited the
issue.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE INDIAN BOY.

Above the voices of the other savages, the harsh and heavy tones of
Lean Bear were prominent. He spoke in the Indian dialect, and of course
the anxious fugitives could not understand what he said; but he seemed
to be angry and impatient, disappointed and chagrined; and Ethan and
Fanny readily inferred that, as he was searching for them, he was the
more ferocious because he could not find them. They lay silent and
motionless in their hiding-place, hardly daring to breathe, lest a
sound should reach the quick ears of their relentless foes.

The Indians searched in every nook and cranny of the barn where a human
being could possibly be concealed. They climbed to the top of the mow,
pulled over the hay, jumped upon it, and thrust their knives deep down.
The fugitives felt the weight of the pursuers pressing heavily down
upon them; they realized that the points of the bloody knives were
within a short distance of their vital organs; but, breathless and
silent, they lay in the most agonizing suspense, expecting to be
dragged from their retreat, and subjected to atrocities which it froze
their blood to think of.

The remorseless miscreants howled with disappointed rage as the search
was abandoned. Fanny and Ethan drew a long sigh of relief when they
heard their foes on the floor beneath them. The good Father to whom
they prayed so earnestly had dimmed the eyes of the savages so that
they could not see, and the