"I think that will be the course that we must adopt," said Ralph. "It will be a tedious undertaking, in the face of all our difficulties, as we shall be obliged to walk the whole distance the horses will undoubtedly either be destroyed or captured by the Indians. Could they be saved, so that Miss Barton and Singing-Bird could ride, it would not be so difficult."
Barton assented with a melancholy look. "There's no use," he said, "in my attempting to rebuild the cottage, even if the Senecas abandon the country. I am getting old, and cannot labor as I once could. Yes—we shall have to go to the settlements."
Ruth assured them that she could walk the distance necessary with perfect ease. As for Singing-Bird, she laughed at the idea of riding.
As all assented to this proposal, the next thing was to find the means of escape from their present difficulties. It would not be safe to leave their cover in the willows, so long as the Senecas remained; and it was hoped, that not discovering them upon the pond, they would, after searching for them in the woods, for a day or two, finally abandon the hope of capturing them, and either set out on their return to their own country, or remove farther down the valley.
A feeling of joyful excitement pervaded the party. The extreme danger of their situation on the previous night, their fortunate flight, and the hope of an early escape, served to awaken this feeling, which, even Barton and Ruth, who were so much the greatest sufferers by recent events, shared with the others.
"I suppose," said Barton, "that Jenkins will most seriously feel the consequences of our removal to the settlements. First, he loses a fortune by the failure of that city-lot and factory speculation; and next, he runs the risk of escape from the Senecas, to be captured and imprisoned by his pale-faced friends."
"Now, that's rather too hard, Squire," said Ichabod. "That factory business will keep for some years, at least: and as for that other matter, I hope that fellow Parsons will discover from the fate of his two officers, who took up the business on speculation, that there's a special Providence agin his collecting it. But if he don't see reason, we'll try and manage it."
The Tuscarora, who had taken no part in the conversation but who had simply exchanged a few words, at intervals, with Singing-Bird, which seemed to cloud her face with anxiety, now arose, and stretching his arm towards the south, merely uttered the common Indian ejaculation of surprise.
"Ugh!"
The others immediately arose, and after a few moments, their eyes became fastened upon a sight, which attracted their attention. On the opposite shore of the pond, some half-a-dozen Indians were seen, busily at work, partially hidden behind bushes that grew to the water's edge. It was evident that they were engaged in the construction of a raft, with which they probably intended to search the northern shore. Though this afforded some cause for alarm, yet, as a raft large enough to convey a sufficiently numerous party to attack them with any chance of success, would be too unwieldy to be moved through the water, except with the greatest labor—they had no fear but that, if their landing-place should be discovered, they would be able, by the greater ease with which their boat could be managed, to escape from its pursuit. So long as they could remain near the northern shore, they would be comparatively safe, as they had no fear of any attack in that quarter, by land. No force sufficiently large could penetrate in that direction, to give them any uneasiness; but should they be driven by the raft from their present position, they might be compelled, in escaping from it, to pass between it and the shore, at some point where they might be exposed to an attack from either. But for the present, they maintained their position, and awaited the movements of the enemy.