“I wonder where we are,” said Ben, presently.
“In the land of the living,” replied Tom, with a laugh. “And that is more than I expected would be the case, an hour ago, when that torrent struck us.”
The youths now doffed their outer garments, wrung them out and spread them out to dry. By the time they were ready to wear, they themselves were rested, and putting the clothing on again, they set out through the forest, heading in a direction that would take them to about the same point they were aiming for before they ran into the Indians.
Till evening they tramped along, and they were beginning to think they would have to sleep out in the woods, when they caught sight of a light ahead of them. The next moment they emerged into open country, and made their way toward the light.
Presently they came to what looked like a fort, as seen in the starlight, and they made out that there was a high stockade-wall around the building.
“Well, I’m glad we’ve found some place to stay for the night, anyhow,” suggested Tom.
“Who comes there?” cried a voice, from above their heads.
“Friends,” replied Dick. He did not know that the inmates of the fort were friends, but he thought it likely they were patriots, and hoped that such was the case.
“How many are there of you?” was the next question.
“Three.”