"Well, my love," his wife asked him, "why this halt, and this long discussion? Has any accident occurred?"
"Nothing that need at all alarm you, Lucy," the emigrant answered; "we are going to camp, that is all."
"Oh, gracious me! I do not know why, but I was afraid lest some misfortune had happened."
"On the contrary; we are quieter than we have been for a long time."
"How so, father?" Diana asked, thrusting her charming face from under the canvas which concealed her.
"Those rascally Indians, who frightened us so much, my darling Diana, have at length made up their minds to leave us; we have not seen a single one during the whole day."
"Oh, all the better!" the girl said quickly, as she clapped her dainty palms together; "I confess that I am not brave, and those frightful Red men caused me terrible alarm."
"Well, you will not see them again, I hope," John Black said, gaily; though while giving his daughter this assurance to appease her fears, he did not believe a word he uttered. "Now," he added, "have, the goodness to get down, so that we may unload the wagon."
"Unload the wagon," the old lady remarked, "why so?
"It is just possible," the husband answered, anxious not to reveal the real reason, "that we may remain here a few days, in order to rest the cattle."