"I received word from Fort Pitt day before yesterday," said the commandant. "Nothing unusual has happened, but several tribes of Indians are reported as hanging around and acting suspiciously. Nothing was said about Mr. Morris's trading-post."
"Do you look for another uprising soon?" asked Rodney.
At this the commandant of the fort shrugged his shoulders. "I can't say as to that. We are keeping a strict guard—I can do no more."
After the visit to the fort, several weeks passed slowly enough at the Morris homestead. All sorts of rumors were rife, one being that a small settlement to the north had been wiped out, and that a farmer living a few miles to the southward had been butchered with his wife and three children. James Morris and the boys heard this news, but did not tell Mrs. Morris or little Lucy for fear of adding to their terror.
During this time Sam Barringford went off on business, and Ira Sanderson and White Buffalo also took their departure.
"Where are you going, White Buffalo?" asked Dave, of the aged Indian chief.
"White Buffalo will go to meet a messenger from the trading-post. He looks each day for one of his braves."
"Did you tell him to come?"
"Yes. He should have arrived three days ago," and the chiefs face clouded.
"Perhaps something happened to him."