tin held up his finger as
a sign for silence.

"There's somebody coming this way--he is behind that large tree," said
Martin; "I see his head now, but it is too dark to make out who it may
be."

As Martin said this, a low and singular sort of whistle between the
teeth was heard, upon which the Strawberry gently put down Martin's
rifle with her hand, saying,

"It is John."

"John! impossible," said Alfred.

"It is," replied Strawberry. "I know well that whistle. I go to fetch
him. I have no fear."

Strawberry stepped out from the group, and went up to the tree, calling
John softly by name, and in a few seconds afterward returned, leading
John by the hand, who, without saying a word, quietly seated himself
down by the fire.

"Well, John, how did you come here?" exclaimed Alfred.

"Followed trail," replied John.

"But how--when did you leave home?"

"Yesterday," replied John, "when I came back."

"But do your father and mother know that you come?" said Captain
Sinclair.

"I met old Graves, and told him," replied John. "Have you any meat?"

"The boy has had nothing since he left, I'll answer for it," said
Martin, as the Strawberry handed some of the pork to John, "have you,
John?"

"No," replied John, with his mouth full.

"Let him eat," said Malachi, "it's long for a lad to be two days without
food, for I'll answer he left as soon as he heard we were gone, and did
not wait for yesterday's supper. Indeed he must have done so, for he
must have followed the trail some time yesterday to be up with us
to-night, so let him eat in quiet."

"What surprises me, Malachi, is how he could have found his way to us."

"Well, sir, I do confess that I'm as much surprised almost as I am
pleased," replied Malachi. "It is really a great feat for a lad to
accomplish all by himself, and I am proud of him for having done it; but
from the first I saw what a capital woodsman he would make, and he has
not disappointed me."

"There are not many who would have been able to do it, that's certain,"
said Martin; "I wonder as much as you do, Mr. Alfred, how he could have
done it--but he has the gift."

"But suppose he had not come up with us, how would he have lived in
these woods? It's a mercy that he has fallen in with us," said Captain
Sinclair.

John slapped the barrel of his rifle, which was lying by him, and which
Captain Sinclair had not perceived.

"You don't think that John would come into the woods without his rif