"Do you think we could fight our way through and get to the trading-post?"
"It might be done, although it would be uncommonly risky, Dave. But I don't advise it, fer if the post has fallen, we'd have all the peril o' gettin' back ag'in. Besides that, we're needed here, by the look o' things. As White Buffalo said, it's goin' to be a black night fer all on us," concluded the old frontiersman.
CHAPTER XVI
UP THE OHIO
Leaving those at Fort Cumberland for the time being, let us go back and see what happened to James Morris, Henry, and the others, after the flight from the trading-post.
The severe snow-storm that was raging, aided the party to escape from those surrounding the post, and not long after the last attack by the Indians and the Frenchmen under Jean Bevoir, all succeeded in gaining a small cave where Tony Jadwin said they would be safe.
"I don't believe they know of this place," said the old hunter. "I stumbled on it by accident last fall. And even if they do know of it and come here, three men can hold it against twenty, for the passageway is narrow."
"They'd never make us surrender unless they starved us out," returned James Morris, looking around.
The rest that followed was much needed, and as no fresh alarm came, they attended to their wounds and prepared themselves such a meal as the rations brought along afforded.
"This is certainly hard luck, Uncle Jim," said Henry. "And after all the time and money spent on the post, too!"