I withdrew from the cabin and from the group of men. Dale's heavy voice was doubly hateful in my ears. The settlement was a small place. Patsy had dismissed me, and there was scarcely room for me without my presence giving her annoyance. I went to the cabin where I had left my few belongings and filled my powder-horn and shot-pouch. I renewed my stock of flints and added to my roll of buckskins, not forgetting a fresh supply of "whangs" for sewing my moccasins. While thus engaged Uncle Dick came in and began sharpening his knife at the fireplace. "Why do that?" I morosely asked. "You are safe from Indian attacks now the trader has told the Shawnees you are under his protection." He leered at me cunningly and ran his thumb along the edge of the knife and muttered: "If some o' th' varmints will only git within strikin'-distance! They sure ran away night before last, but how far did they go? Dale seems to have a pert amount o' authority over 'em; but how long's he goin' to stay here? He can't go trapezin' up 'n' down these valleys and keep men 'n' women from bein' killed by jest hangin' some white wampum on 'em." "What do the men think?" "Them that has famblies are hopin' th' critters won't come back. Younger men want to git a crack at 'em. Two nights ago th' younkers thought Dale was mighty strong medicine. A night or two of sleep leaves 'em 'lowin' th' creek may be safe s'long as he sticks here. Some t'others spit it right out that Black Hoof is playin' one o' his Injun games. If that pert young petticoat wa'n't here mebbe we could git some o' th' young men out into th' woods for to do some real scoutin'. "If my eyes was right I'd go. As it is, th' young folks keep runnin' a circle round th' settlement, lickety-larrup, an' their minds is on th' gal, an' they wouldn't see a buf'lo if one crossed their path. Then they hustle back an' say as how they ain't seen nothin'. I 'low some o' th' older men will have to scout." "I'm going out. I'll find the Indians' trail and follow it," I told him. "That'll be neighborly of you. If they chase you back an' git within stickin'-distance I'll soon have their in'ards out to dry." I decided to leave my horse, as the travel would take me through rough places. Shouldering my rifle, I struck for the western side of the clearing. Dale had disappeared, gone into the Davis cabin, I assumed, as John Ward was lying on the ground near the door. I hadn't seen much of Ward for two days. Davis and Moulton were drawing leather through a tan trough, and I turned aside to speak with them. They noticed I was fitted out for a scout and their faces lighted a bit. "Ward's been out ag'in and says the reds went north toward Tygart's Valley. He follered 'em quite some considerable. If you can find any new signs an' can fetch us word----" "That's what I'm going out for, Davis. How do you feel about the doings of night before last?" He scratched his chin and after a bit of hesitation answered: