“Well, boys, there’s three or four hours afore ye can move, so the best use to make on’t is to lie down an’ sleep. Maybe a long while afore ye’ll find another sich place. I’ll keep watch, an’ see ’at no red-skins disturb ye.”
Thus admonished the young men threw themselves upon the ground. Although nothing was further from their thoughts than sleep, but a few minutes passed before both were buried in a refreshing slumber.
Davy regarded the sleepers attentively for a few moments, then turning away, he muttered:
“The boys are hevin’ a comfortable doze, so I’ll jist take a turn around, an’ see if all promises favourably. Blame me, though, if they don’t promise well for greenhorns. If they stick to this bisness they’ll make the toughest kind o’ scouts; maybe they’ll think sometime how they took their first lesson in Injin-craft of Davy Barring; maybe they will. I wonder how the red-skins would like the idee of leavin’ Davy behind ’em. Blame me, if I don’t think I kin work ’em some mischief, and these two boys with me. They’ll burn and murder to their hearts’ content, but can’t have it all their own way, jist yit.”
The worthy scout moved about in the direction of the party upon the river’s bank, till satisfied there was no danger to his confederates in that quarter; then he struck into the forest beyond. In an hour he returned. His companions were still sleeping soundly. With a quiet glance about him the hardy fellow sunk upon the ground, and lay for some time. A slight rustling at length aroused him, and looking around he saw that Charles had risen to his feet. Perceiving that David was awake, the young man approached, and inquired:
“How long before we set out?”
“The sooner the better; it is sufficiently dark.”
A beaming light broke over the face of the youth, for he was all impatience to be away.
“I am anxious to be off, that this fearful suspense may be at an end. It is dreadful to think of the position of that dear girl, thus dragged away—her father and brother inhumanly butchered, and all the suspense which must be hers!”
“Partly right and partly wrong! You must remember that now yer comparatively safe. We’re between tew bodies o’ the inemy, an’ when we move either way we go into danger. But rouse Alf, and we’ll off.”