“Only little more,” he exclaimed, “no stop now. All die if stop now.”
“But where are you taking us?” exclaimed Joseph.
“Follow Deerfoot, he show you,” and once again the fleet-footed Indian sped down the darkening aisles of the forest. Night was now so near at hand that it was with difficulty that the two boys kept their guide in sight. They made one last effort, however, and exerting all the strength and will power they possessed they managed to follow where Deerfoot led.
Suddenly the Indian stopped.
“Black Hawk no see trail now,” he exclaimed. “We hide here.”
He darted behind a huge tree as he spoke, the boys instantly following his example.
“Where are we going to hide?” demanded Joseph.
“Follow Deerfoot,” and as he spoke the Indian began to climb the nearest tree. Seemingly he went directly up the side of the tree and there were no branches to which he might cling for a considerable distance above the ground.
“Steps in tree,” announced Deerfoot, stopping when he had gone a few feet. “You find ’um easy. Follow Deerfoot.”
Standing where Deerfoot had stood Joseph ran his hands over the hark of the huge oak tree. Sure enough, steps large enough and deep enough to render climbing comparatively safe had been cut into the side of the tree. They were just about as far apart as the rungs of a ladder and having once started on the strange stairway it was very easy to continue. Joseph and Robert speedily discovered this condition and soon were following Deerfoot as he directed them and were moving nearly as rapidly as the Indian himself.