“How long are we going to stay here?” demanded Robert at length.
Deerfoot made no answer, and to all outward appearances he did not even hear the question.
“How long are we going to stay here?” Robert repeated.
“You want to leave?” asked Deerfoot mildly.
“Well,” said Robert, “it’s growing dark and it doesn’t seem to me we ought to stay here much longer. Some one of Black Hawk’s braves will sneak around in back of us and we’ll be cut off if we are not careful.”
“That right,” Deerfoot agreed, and he glanced at Joseph as he spoke. As he did so, the wounded young pioneer opened his eyes and sighed heavily.
“We’re going to carry you the rest of the way now, Joe,” Robert announced cheerily. “We’ll start any time you say.”
“I’m ready,” replied Joseph, at the same time trying to force a smile.
“All right then, Deerfoot, let’s go,” said Robert. “We’ll carry him just as we did before. You don’t mind if the trip is rough, do you, Joe? We’ve got to travel fast, you know.”
“The faster the better,” said Joseph.