"Do you mistrust him, Rosa?"
She regretted her words, and answered:
"I ought not to have said it, Jo, but I didn't like his looks when he first joined us; have you ever seen him before?"
"I think I have, though I can't recall the place or occasion."
"Well, that makes a different matter of it; do as you think best."
Believing that his sister had come to his view of the case, Jo so stated to Ned, and there was no further hesitation. While this little conference was going on, Worrell remained seated, acting as if he had no concern in the matter. He busied himself in examining his rifle, and making sure it was in order. A minute or so before Jo was prepared to make a definite proposition to him, he rose to his feet, and assumed an attitude of intense attention, as though some faint signal had fallen on his ear. Then as the young scout turned to address him, he spoke first:
"Well, I guess I'll have to bid you good-morning."
"And why so?" asked Jo, in some surprise.
"To tell the truth, this is too dangerous a place to stay any longer. I hear sounds in the woods that lead me to think there are some of the redskins not very far off, and I prefer to dig out; maybe it'll be safer and better for you to wait till Lena-Wingo comes back, and he'll get you out better than I can."
"No one could do better than the Mohawk if he were only here, but the trouble is he isn't here just now, and we've come to the conclusion that it is not safe to wait for him. Where do you mean to go?"