“Good or bad—I suppose I may inquire?”
“Wal, it’s good; so you needn’t worry about it.”
“In that case I shall not, for we have had enough gloomy tidings and doings of late.”
“I believe I’ve got a brother somewhere ’bout these parts, or used to have,” remarked the hunter, gazing searchingly about him.
“He is in the block-house, I believe, standing watch. I will call him, or you can visit him there, as you choose.”
“What is he standing watch for? Shawnees?”
“For enemies, which are certainly thick enough around us.”
“You kin call him, then, for he’s watching for what ain’t about. I took a tramp around the settlement afore I came in, and things is all right.”
“Have our enemies indeed retreated?” inquired a spectator.
“There isn’t a shadow of one of ’em for five miles around, except the dead ones.”