if they had had to shoot each thief from the back
of his stolen steed. Such a result would have changed the whole course
of the events that followed.

Since the Shawanoe advised them to stay where they were until morning,
the natural query of the lads was as to the degree of danger they ran.
They had thought there was little to be feared from Indians, but after
the fire was started, both had misgivings--afterward intensified no
doubt by the little trick played upon them by Deerfoot.

He assured them that there was nothing to be feared from Indians. There
was and would be none near them through the night. They were at a safe
distance from the trail, so that if any one should pass back or forth he
could not possibly catch a glimpse of the camp.

"I never dispute a man's sintimints," said Terry, "onless it happens to
disagraa with me own, so I'll say ye are right because we think the same
way; but it's within me own ricolliction that whin ye enj'yed the honor
of our coompany night before last, ye kipt guard all the night;
Frederick and mesilf will now return the coompliment and take charge of
the honors oursilves. If ye have any disputation that ye want to inter
into, we'll sittle it by maans of a wristling match."

Deerfoot was inclined at first to act as sentinel, just as he had done
before, but he had already declared that there was nothing to be feared,
and his friends were so in earnest that he could not well refuse their
request. He would have preferred that they should gain all the sleep
they could, so as to lay up a stock, as may be said, against what was
likely to come at the cabin, but he yielded. He agreed to their wishes,
and in doing so, indulged in one of his smiles, the depth of whose
meaning neither of the youths fully comprehended. In fact it simply
meant that he understood their ability in that respect better than they
did themselves.

And so, after reading his Bible, a portion of it aloud, he lay down upon
the blanket of Terry, as he did two nights before, and soon fell asleep.

"I'm glad to obsarve the same," remarked Terry; "for the good lookin'
spalpeen must be in naad of slumber. I say, Fred, did ye iver saa the
loikes of him? We must git him to run a race and jump and swim and stand
on his head and show jist what he can do. I'm glad as I say to obsarve
that he is aslaap, for he must naad the same. I say, Fred, let's stay
awake till daylight, so as to fool him."

"I am glad to do that in retu