ete equipment and again Henry rejoiced. He had
not only escaped, but once more he was fully armed, ready to dare
anything, and able to do anything.

"What a good lot of fellows you are!" he said to his comrades.

"But we couldn't hev done anything ef you hadn't been such a terrible
long jumper," said Shif'less Sol with a grin.

"Do you hear any sounds of pursuit?" asked Paul.

None could detect anything, and Tom went back a little space on their
trail, returning in a few minutes with the news that there were no
indications of a hostile presence. Hence they rested a while longer and
the clothing of Henry and Shif'less Sol dried in the sunshine. When they
renewed their flight they proceeded at ease, all the while through a
densely wooded country, and Paul gave Henry a brief account of the
doings of the four.

"We could tell by the signs just how you were captured," he said, "and
we followed close. We came to the very walls of Detroit and we secretly
made friends with some of the French in the town."

"There was one Pierre Louis Lajeunais, was there not?"

"Yes, and he was the most valuable. We took the two sentinels, because
we did not know what de Peyster would do with you, and, as we wrote, we
wanted hostages against ill-treatment. When we found at last that you
were to be held only as a prisoner we sent them back, and, for the rest,
we trusted to luck, skill and the chance that you might see the warrior
in the canoe on the river and understand."

"Fortune seemed to favor us through everything," said Henry, "and now I
suppose we had better keep on until we are absolutely sure the Indians
will not pick up our trail and give us a fight. As you boys probably
know, we have no time to waste."

"We know," said Paul. "Kentucky is calling to us and we are going there
as fast as we can."

The night found them far from Detroit. When the twilight turned into the
night they were in woods so dense that it seemed as if man had never
been there before. There was no turf under the close, spreading
branches, but the ground was densely covered with the fallen leaves of
last year. Everywhere they lay, a soft, dry carpet, and the five sank
down upon them luxuriously.

"Here we rest," said Paul.

"Yes, here we rest, all except one who will watch," said Shif'less Sol,
who for the present was in command. "Now we'll eat a little, an' then I
think sleep will be the most welcome thing in the world to us."

Nobody said no, and the