A few minutes later there flashed from behind a bend in the road the gleam of a lantern, and soon another flickering light appeared. Roger ran toward them, and Johnny Green hurried on also. Nearer and nearer came the lights, and then in a few minutes the seekers and the lost were together.
While Adrian, who was with his father, was shaking hands with Roger and telling him how glad he was to see him again, Mr. Kimball was exchanging greetings with the Indian and looking at the wild-cat slung across his shoulders. It didn't take long for Roger to tell his experience, and the words of praise that came from his uncle and cousin, at his wise and brave conduct in the fight with the beast, more than repaid him for the fright and discomfort he had undergone. The cuts and scratches on his back proved to be only slight ones, when Mr. Kimball insisted on looking at them by the light of the lanterns.
"Ye got off mighty lucky," commented the farmer, as Roger put on his coat again.
"What happened?" asked Roger of Adrian. "Did something scare the horse?"
"The wagon struck a stone," explained Adrian, "and you were pitched out. I suppose you must have lost your senses by hitting your head on the hard ground. I tried to grab you when I saw you going, and I must have frightened the horse, for he bolted as if a bear was after him. I guess it was the first time he ever ran away and he rather liked it, for he never stopped galloping until I got to Enberry Took's house, though I sawed on the lines for all I was worth. When I found I was so near home I thought I'd better go on, put the rig up, and get dad to come back with me to find you, for I thought we'd meet you walking in. We figured on seeing you within the first mile, but you must have turned around and gone back toward Tully. We went slow, for it was dark at first, and we didn't want to miss you. It was lucky you happened to find that one match in your knife, wasn't it?"
"It was luckier that Johnny Green came along just when he did," said Roger, "or the fire might not have done me much good."
"Wa'al, I reckon it's lucky all around," interposed Mr. Kimball. "Now, ef it's all th' same t' ye two boys, we'll git 'long hum, 'n' relieve th' women folks, fer they most hed a caniption fit when they heard what happened."
So the four started on toward Cardiff, the two boys walking behind Mr. Kimball and Johnny Green.
"Say," began Roger in a low tone, "is he a real Indian?"
"Sure," replied Adrian. "He's one of the Onondaga tribe. There's a reservation of them at a place they call the Castle, which is what they name their Council House. It's about three miles from Cardiff. I meant to tell you about them, but I forgot it. They're full-blooded Indians, but they're not wild, though some of the older ones were once, I suppose. We'll take a trip down and see 'em soon, and get 'em to make us some bows and arrows. Most of 'em know dad, from buying honey from him."