“She was goin’ to find you,” said Will. “But I s’pose she wanted to make sure that hellion was out o’ the way fust.”
“Nat’ral enough. He’d bring her into diffikilty, of course. But she k’n rest easy consarnin’ him. Blast ’im, I wish we could ’a’ got ’im inter our paws alive.”
“Where were you, Mace?”
“Look out! Hark! Thar—it’s all still ag’in. Durn ’em, they ain’t ’n no hurry to move. Whar was I? Up nigh the Miami village when they gi’n me chase. It happened well, for I not only got away, but seen a scrimmage on the lake—or heerd it.”
“Who?”
“Scarred Eagle an’ Goodbrand war chased from the neck. They hed a rig’lar devil’s tussle with some Injuns thet follered ’em in a canoe. I warned ’em off, but it cost me a world of dodgin’. Ha, now thar’s a move yender, fur sartin!”
Their whispers instantly ceased, and they listened intently. Any one unused to such scenes would not have believed a leaf had stirred.
But these men had no doubt that a number of their foes were moving so as to get in their rear. Revel saw Mace suddenly elevate his rifle, and then lower it with a muttered curse. At the same time a crackling noise came from the opposite side of the opening.
“We must sarcumvent ’em in that game,” said Mace.
“How? fall back?”