trail," she said. "One
of the Senecas told me to-day that six or seven miles farther on was a
river flowing into the Susquehanna, and that they would cross this river
on a boat now concealed among bushes on the bank. The crossing was at a
sudden drop between high banks. Might not we go on, find the boat, and
come back in it down the river and into the Susquehanna?"

"That sounds mighty close to wisdom to me," said Shif'less Sol.
"Besides, it's likely to have the advantage o' throwin' the Iroquois off
our track. They'll think, o' course, that we've gone straight back, an'
we'll pass 'em ez we're going forward."

"It's certainly the best plan," said Henry, "and it's worth our while
to try for that hidden boat of the Iroquois. Do you know the general
direction?"

"Almost due north."

"Then we'll make a curve to the right, in order to avoid any Iroquois
who may be returning to this camp, and push for it."

Henry led the way over hilly, rough ground, and the others followed in a
silent file, Long Jim and Tom still carrying the two smallest children,
who soon fell asleep on their shoulders. Henry did not believe that the
returning Iroquois could follow their trail on such a dark night, and
the others agreed with him.

After a while they saw the gleam of water. Henry knew that it must be
very near, or it would have been wholly invisible on such a dark night.

"I think, Mrs. Newton," he said, "that this is the river of which you
spoke, and the cliffs seem to drop down just as you said they would."

The woman smiled.

"Yes," she said, "you've done well with my poor guess, and the boat must
be hidden somewhere near here."

Then she sank down with exhaustion, and the two older children, unable
to walk farther, sank down beside her. But the two who slept soundly on
the shoulders of Long Jim and Tom Ross did not awaken. Henry motioned
to Jim and Tom to remain there, and Shif'less Sol bent upon them a
quizzical and approving look.

"Didn't think it was in you, Jim Hart, you old horny-handed galoot," he
said, "carryin' a baby that tender. Knew Jim could sling a little black
bar 'roun' by the tail, but I didn't think you'd take to nussin' so
easy."

"I'd luv you to know, Sol Hyde," said Jim Hart in a tone of high
condescension, "that Tom Ross an' me are civilized human bein's. In face
uv danger we are ez brave ez forty thousand lions, but with the little
an' the weak we're as easy an' kind an' soft ez human bein's are e