Alan set off for the thicket, while Owen and Amy sat down to talk over their travels; but it was not long before Alan again joined them. Whether the Indians were absent on some expedition, or whatever else might be the cause, certain it was that Alan had found no Indians. He had, however, torn the leg of one of his stockings: so he asked Amy to bind up his wounds.
"But you have not hurt your leg," said Amy: "you have only torn a hole in your stocking."
"Never mind that!" replied Alan. "We are out on our travels, seeking our fortunes, and must make the most of every thing. Bind up my wounded leg."
Little Amy tied up his leg with his handkerchief; and, considering that she had never bound up a wound before, it did her great credit.
It is due to Alan to say that the misfortune of his wounded leg by no means cooled his courage. "What is the use," said he, "of complaining? Those who go to seek their fortunes must learn to bear pain."
One of Alan's plans was to find a treasure; and, as they had neither spade nor pickaxe with them to dig for gold, he thought the best way would be for them to find a bag of money. Amy said, if they found a bag of money, she should like to take Dolly some. This being generously agreed to by Alan and Owen, they proceeded with their plan.
Alan took Amy's handkerchief, and tied up some grass in it. He then told Owen to go on a little way and drop it; and this Owen did. "Hi!" cried Alan, when he came up to the spot: "what have we here? Who would have thought that a merchant would have dropped a bag of money in such a place as this?"
All at once Owen and Amy bethought themselves that they had no right to the gold, as it belonged to the merchant who had lost it; but Alan met this objection by saying that they could easily inquire for the merchant as they went along, and give up the money if they found him. Thus pacified, Owen and Amy allowed Alan to lift the heavy bag of money into the basket: this he seemed to do with great difficulty.
But how was the basket to be carried with so heavy a weight in it? Said Alan, "Where there is a will, there is a way." A stick was procured, and passed through the handle of the basket, one end of it resting on Owen's shoulder, and the other end on the shoulder of Amy.