A lump arose in David’s throat and he found great difficulty in swallowing it. If Henry was dead how would he ever be able to send the news to Mrs. Morris and the others?
“It will ’most break Aunt Lucy’s heart,” he thought. “And Uncle Joe’s heart too. With Rodney a cripple they all depended on Henry so much!”
Raymond was about to take a look around, when a curious sound from the rear of the cave-like opening caused both the backwoodsman and the young soldier to leap up in fresh alarm.
“What was that?” cried Dave, as he brought up his musket.
“Don’t know,” whispered Raymond. “Lay low! The Injuns may be coming on us another way.”
Both crouched back into a niche of the wall and waited. Soon the noise was repeated, and they heard a scratching on the rocks at the back of the opening.
“Reckon I know what that is,” said Raymond at length.
“What?”
“Bear’s cubs.”
“Do you really think so?” cried Dave. “If that is true, this must be a bear’s den.”