"We can easily tell the direction he has taken, then."
"Not so easy, either; for don't you see he has gone up the creek, which ain't toward home. I tell you what it is, Lew has smelled danger, and if the red-skins have catched him, there's been some splendid fun afore they done it. Lew ain't such a fool, after all."
"Do you think," asked Dick, in a low tone, for he entertained a strong affection for his leader, "Do you think it is certain Lew has been catched?"
"No sir," replied O'Hara, in tones so loud that they woke an echo through the woods. "It ain't certain by no means. He may have thought it best to make a long circle before reaching home, and like enough he is in the settlement this minute, or very near there. But I guess not," he added, after a minute's pause, and in a different voice. "Things look dubious, and we may have a big job before us."
"Let's go to work at once."
"The first sensible words you've spoken this morning, when it seems we're both doing more talking than is necessary. Come on."
The trail was followed with the greatest difficulty, for the time which had elapsed since it was made was almost sufficient to obliterate it entirely. Now and then, where the ground was more favorable, it was easily discernible. After progressing a mile or so, O'Hara exclaimed, with an air of perplexity:
"There is something here that I don't understand. I've seen only the track of one person up to this time."
"She isn't with him, then?"
"Yes, but he appears to be carrying her; and what that means is more than I can tell. It can't be she's hurt."