hand. The
trail was sinuous, winding in and out among the rocks in a way that
would have bewildered any one not used to such traveling.

At last they reached the ridge of the elevation up which they had been
climbing, and found themselves on the margin of a plateau or rather
valley, beyond which rose the rugged, precipitous Ozarks. Since the
ground sloped away from them, in the direction of the mountains, their
view was extended over many square miles of forest, stream and natural
clearing, to the mountain walls beyond, looking dim and soft in the
distance, with the hazy air between.

"Do my brothers see the gleam of the water yonder?" asked Deerfoot,
pointing to a winding stream, large enough to be called a river, though
it was half hidden by the woods. Its course was in the main at right
angles to the trail which the boys had been following, though, at times
it seemed to run straight toward and then away from them.

The youths answered that they could not very well look in the direction
indicated by their friend, without seeing the stream to which he
directed their attention.

The Shawanoe placed himself so that he stood in front of the two.

"Now," said he, "let my brothers follow Deerfoot's finger and tell me
what they see."

Pointing well to the right, he slowly swung his index finger toward the
left, until he had described about a quarter of a circle.

Since it was not easy for the two to look exactly at the point meant, at
the same time, Terry Clark first tried it. Removing his cap, he closed
one eye and carefully peered along the extended arm of the Shawanoe as
though it was a rifle which he was about to aim and fire.

"What is it?" asked Fred, a moment later, with some impatience over the
plodding deliberation of his companion.

"I obsarve a big lot of traas, some rocks, some water and a claarin'
where ye could raise a big lot of praties, and--and--and--"

"I see what you mean!" exclaimed Fred in some excitement; "right in the
middle of the clearing stands a large cabin made of logs."

"It's mesilf that obsarves the same," added Terry, replacing his cap and
looking inquiringly at the Shawanoe, who let his extended arm fall as
he faced about and said: "That is the home of my brothers; that is the
cabin of the Hunters of the Ozark."

"Hurrah!" called out Terry; "we're purty near there."

"But we don't know how matters stand," said Fred; "even Deerfoot can not
tell whether they are all alive or dea