re knew.

"Yes, they've heard," he said, "and they're telling it to each other. They
are also telling it to us. They're between us and Marlowe, and they are
between us and Wareville, so we must run to the north, and run as fast as
we can."

He led the way with swift, light footsteps through the forest, and Paul
followed close behind, each boy carrying on his shoulder two rifles and at
his waist a double stock of bullets and powder.

Paul scarcely felt any fear now for the future. The revulsion from the
stake and torture was so great that it did not seem to him that he could
be taken again. Moreover, they had seized him the first time when he was
asleep. They had taken an unfair advantage.

The sun rose higher, gilding the brown forest with fine filmy gold, like a
veil, and the boys ran silently on among the trees and the undergrowth.
Behind them, and spread out like a fan, came many warriors, fierce for
their lives. Amid such scenes was the Great West won.

CHAPTER II

IN THE RIVER

Paul, while not the equal of Henry in the woods, was a strong and enduring
youth. His muscles were like wire, and there were few better runners west
of the mountains. Although the weight of the second rifle might tell after
a while, he did not yet feel it, and with springy step he sped after
Henry, leaving the choice of course and all that pertained to it to his
comrade. After a while they heard a second cry--a wailing note--and Henry
raised his head a little.

"They've come to the two who fell," he said.

But after the single lament, the warriors were silent, and Paul heard
nothing more in the woods but their own light footsteps and his own long
breathing. Little birds flitted through the boughs of the trees, and now
and then a hare hopped up and ran from their path. The silence became
terrible, full of omens and presages, like the stillness before coming
thunder.

"It means something," said Henry; "I think we've stumbled into a regular
nest of those Shawnees, and they're likely to be all about us."

As if confirming his words, the far, faint note came from their right, and
then, in reply, from their left. Henry stopped so quickly that Paul almost
ran into him.

"I was afraid it would be that way," he said. "They're certainly all
around us except in front, and maybe there, too."

Visions of the torture rose before Paul again.

"What are we to do?" he said.

"We must hide."

"Hide I Why, they could find us in the