I give you this," said Jack, as he put in her hand
the tail of the great gray wolf, beautifully adorned with silver braid
and blue ribbands.

It was snowing hard. Jack and Solomon started toward a belt of timber
east of the log inn. Before they reached it, their clothes were white
with snow--a fact which probably saved their lives. They were shot at
from the edge of the bush. Solomon shouted to Jack to come on and
wisely ran straight toward the spot from which the rifle flashes had
proceeded. In the edge of the woods, Jack shot an Indian with his
pistol. The red man was loading. So they got through what appeared to
be a cordon around the house and cut into the bush.

"They won't foller us," said Solomon, as the two stopped presently to
put on their snow-shoes.

"What makes you think so ?"

"They don't keer to see us lessen they're hid. We are the Son o' the
Thunder an' the Brother o' Death. It would hurt to see us. The second
our eyes drop on an Injun, he's got a hole in his guts an' they know
it. They'd ruther go an' set down with a jug o' rum."

"It was a low and devilish trick to bring fire-water into that camp,"
said Jack.

"Guy Johnson is mean enough to steal acorns from a blind hog," Solomon
answered.

Suddenly they heard a loud whooping in the distance and looking back
into the valley they saw a great flare of light.

"They've put the torch to the tavern and will have a dance," said
Solomon. "We got out jest in time."

"I am afraid for the Little White Birch," said Jack.

"They'll let her alone. She is one of the wives of ol' Theandenaga.
She will lead the Dutchman an' his family to the house o' the great
chief. She won't let 'em be hurt if she kin help it. She knowed they
was a'ter us."

"Why do they want to kill us?" Jack queried.

"'Cause they're goin' to fight with the British an' we shoot so damn
well they want to git us out o' the way an' do it sly an' without
gittin' hurt. But fer the squaw, we'd be hoppin' eround in that 'ere
loft like a pair o' rats. They'd 'a' sneaked the Dutchman an' his
folks outdoors with tommyhawks over their heads and scattered grease
an' gunpowder an' boughs on the floor, an' set 'er goin' an' me an' you
asleep above the ladder. I reckon we'd had to do some climbin' an'
they's no tellin' where we'd 'a' landed, which there ain't do doubt
'bout that."

Solomon seemed to know his way by an instinct like that of a dog. They
were in the deep woods,