Part 11 (1/2)

”But what shall we do now?” Matthew asked. ”We cannot stay here all night.”

”That is true,” Fred answered; ”we must be going; but first let us thank the Lord for His goodness. Without Him we can do nothing. It is He who hitherto has helped us, and may He bring Agnes back to us.”

After a brief pause in which both thanked the Lord, they departed, Fred carrying the musket, while Matthew held on to the knife.

Silently they crept up the high bank of the river through the deep brushwood, until they could see the Indian camp. But though they looked hard, the Indians were gone.

”What is the matter?” Matthew asked, as he looked at Fred with deep concern in his eyes. ”I see no Indians.”

”Lie low,” Fred admonished him, ”and follow me.”

The boys crept on, but the Indians were gone, not a trace could be found of them.

”Perhaps it is a trap,” Matthew commented; ”we must be careful.”

Deeper and deeper they pierced the woods. Dawn came, and day light, and the boys were still walking, but not a trace of the Indians could be seen. They had disappeared completely.

”Well, if they don't bother us,” Fred remarked, ”we shall not bother them. We are angels of peace, and don't want war. So if they leave us alone, we are satisfied.”

”I should say so,” Matthew a.s.sented. ”No war for me, if I can help it.”

”Suppose we lie down here,” Fred said after a while; ”I am dead tired, and so are you. My head is spinning, and I cannot think clearly. 'He giveth His beloved sleep,' says the holy Word.”

”You are right,” Matthew responded; ”nothing could be more welcome to me than a good bed at this time, though I am still hungry.”

”If you are,” Fred said, ”have some more Indian meat; it is very good, although it is rather rare. But the Indians like it that way.”

Matthew ate ravenously despite of the fact that the meat was only half done. But hunger is the best cook, as the proverb says, and he was not very fastidious. Anything would have tasted good to him just then.

”But don't eat it all,” Fred admonished him; ”we may need of it for dinner, though I hope that by that time we may have something better.”

”I will mind your admonition,” Matthew said smiling, as he plunged his teeth into the juicy bear meat.

Then they lay down and slept, as if they were at home and not in the Indian infested woods.

Yet they were safe, for the good Lord to whom they commended themselves before falling asleep, watched over them, better than they knew.

CHAPTER XI

BACK AGAIN AND AGNES

”Don't bother me,” said Fred half awake; ”it's not time for breakfast; just let me sleep a little more.”

Matthew pinched his nose so that he could not breathe, and this brought Fred to his feet.

”Oh, I clean forgot!” he said laughing. ”My, but that sleep was good!

What time of the day is it anyway? We must have slept all day.”