“By the way, are they making any row in the settlement over the girl’s disappearance?” asked Benton, carelessly.
“Yes, all the settlers have been scouring the forest since last night when her absence was discovered,” answered Murdock.
“And her father—the old General—what does he say about it?”
“He is nearly crazy over the disappearance of his daughter. I nearly felt pity for the old man, but I consoled myself by thinking how great his joy would be, when I brought his daughter back to him, and how glad he would be to receive as his son-in-law the man who, at the peril of his life, rescued her from the murdering red-skins.”
Murdock smiled grimly as he spoke.
“Well, dog my cats if it ain’t as good as a show,” said Bob, with a laugh all over his huge, ugly face at the idea. “I shall have to be ’round to witness the interesting meeting.”
“Yes; you must make yourself scarce as soon as I take the girl off, for you’ll have the whole country on your trail. Of course I shall have to describe where I found her.”
“But, s’pose they do come arter us, how kin we kiver up the trail?” asked Bob.
“Oh, easy enough,” replied Murdock; “the moment you strike the trail on the other bank of the Kanawha, who can tell whether you go up or down? There’s too many fresh marks on it for any one to be able to pick out ours.”
“There isn’t any danger,” said Benton, calmly.