“I got in that time,” said Sneak, now winding through the bushes with much caution, as if it were truly in his power to diminish the weight of his body by a peculiar mode of walking.
“This thaw ’ll be good for one thing, any how,” said Joe, after they had progressed some time in silence.
“What’s that?” asked Sneak.
“Why, it ’ll keep the Indians away; they can’t travel through the slush when the crust is melted off.”
“That’s as true as print,” replied Sneak; and if none of ’em follered us back to the settlement, we needn’t look for ’em agin till spring.”
“I wonder if any of them did follow us?” asked Joe, pausing abruptly.
“How can anybody tell till they see ’em?” replied Sneak. “What’re you stopping for?”
“I’m going back,” said Joe.
“Dod—you’re a fool—that’s jest what you are. Hain’t We got our guns? and if there is any about, ain’t they in the bushes close to Mr. Glenn’s house? and hain’t we passed through ’em long ago? But I don’t keer any thing about your cowardly company—go back, if you want to,” said Sneak, striding onward.
“Sneak, don’t go so fast. I haven’t any notion of going back,” said Joe, springing nimbly to his companion’s side.