ate cold
venison, they were bound to regret what they had lost.

"Still I like this country," said Jim Hart. "It looks kinder firm an'
strong ez ef you could rely on it. Then I want to see the big lakes. We
come pretty nigh to one uv them that time we went up the Genesee Valley
an' burned the Iroquois towns, but we didn't quite git thar. Cur'us so
much fresh water should be put here in a string uv big lakes on our
continent."

"And the Canadian _voyageurs_ say there are big lakes, too, away up in
Canada that no white man has ever seen, but of which they hear from the
Indians," said Paul.

"I reckon it's true," said Jim Hart, "'cause this is an almighty big
continent, an' an almighty fine one. I ain't s'prised at nothin' now. I
didn't believe thar wuz any river ez big ez the Missip, until I saw it,
an' thar ain't no tellin' what thar is out beyond the Missip, all the
thousands uv miles to the Pacific. I'd shorely like to live a thousand
years with you fellers an' tramp 'roun' and see it all. It would be
almighty fine."

"But I wouldn't like to be spendin' all that thousan' years tryin' to
keep my scalp on top o' my head," said Shif'less Sol. "It would be
pow'ful wearin' on a lazy man like me."

Thus they talked as the twilight deepened into the night. The feel of
the North was in them all. Their minds kindled at the thought of the
vast lakes that lay beyond and of the great forest, stretching, for all
they knew, thousands of miles to the great ocean. The bushes and their
blankets protected them from the cold winds, and it was so dark that no
enemy could trail them to their lair. Moreover the five were there,
intact, and they had the company of one another to cheer.

"I imagine," said Paul, "that Timmendiquas and the officers at Detroit
will make this the biggest raid that they have ever yet planned against
Kentucky."

"By surprise an' numbers they may win victories here an' thar," said
Shif'less Sol, "but they'll never beat us. When people git rooted in the
ground you jest can't drive 'em away or kill 'em out. Our people will
take root here, too, an' everywhar the Injuns, the British an' the
Tories will have to go."

"An' as our people ain't come up here yet, we've got to look out for our
scalps before the rootin' season comes," said Tom Ross.

"An' that's as true as Gospel," said Shif'less Sol, thoughtfully.

After that they spoke little more, but they drew and matted the thick
bushes over their heads in su