slightly hollowed, open place. The women and
children were trooping about upon the grass, and the air was filled with
the sound of merry voices. All were browned by the sun, but they were
healthy and joyous, and they looked forward with keen delight to meeting
kin who had gone on before at Wareville. They had no fear of the mighty
forests, when more than two hundred pairs of strong arms fenced them
about.

"That is shorely a pleasant sight," said Dick Salter. "I've seed the same
many evenin's, an' I hope to see it many more evenin's. We'll get 'em
through, Mr. Poe, we'll get 'em through!"

"I hope so," said Daniel Poe earnestly.

They had begun to light the evening fires, and in the west a great red sun
blazed just above the hills. Daniel Poe suddenly put his hand upon Dick
Salter's arm.

"Dick, what is that?" he said, pointing with a long forefinger.

A black silhouette had appeared on the crest of a hill in the very eye of
the sun, and Dick Salter, shading his brow with his hand, gazed long and
anxiously.

"It's a man," he said at last, "an' ef I'm any judge uv a human bein' it's
about the finest specimen uv a man that ever trod green grass. Look, Mr.
Poe!"

The figure, outlined against its brilliant background, seemed to grow and
come nearer. Others had seen now, and the whole wagon train gazed with
intent and curious eyes. They saw in the blazing light every detail of an
erect and splendid figure, evidently that of a youth, but tall beyond the
average of men. He was clad in forest garb--fringed hunting shirt and
leggings and raccoon-skin cap. He stood erect, but easily, holding by the
muzzle a long, slender-barreled rifle, which rested, stock upon the
ground. Seen there in all the gorgeous redness of the evening sunlight,
there was something majestic, something perhaps weird and unreal, in the
grand and silent figure.

"He's white, that's shore!" said Dick Salter.

"He looks like a wilderness god," murmured Daniel Poe, in his beard.

"Look!" exclaimed Dick Salter. "There's another!"

A second figure appeared suddenly beside the first, that of a youth, also,
not so tall as the first; but he, too, stood erect, silent and
motionless, gazing at the wagon train.

"And a third!" exclaimed Daniel Poe.

"And a fourth and fifth!" added Dick Salter. "See, there are five uv 'em!"

Three other figures had appeared, seeming to arise in the sunlight as if
by Arabian magic; and now all five stood there in a row, s