"Thar ain't no doubt of that after what you tell me. They larned that you war goin' to make a start for the block-house, so they went a good long way along the trail and waited for you to walk into thar open jaws." "Which we might have done had we gone farther; but, that being so, how was it father and mother rode this way without harm when they must have passed the very spot where Blazing Arrow and the rest were waiting for us?" "I came by 'em," said Kenton, with another smile. "You could go by any number of them, for you know how. You were on foot and were prepared for them, but they were on horseback." "Which leads me to say agin that Brigham Edwards and his wife ain't fools, onless they've become so powerful sudden. Your father knowed thar war three places whar, if thar war any ambush laid, it war sartin to be in one of 'em. Countin' from the settlement, the fust was whar the path goes close to them falls, for the lay of the land jes' invites it; the second are at the ravine down thar, only a little way beyond whar you are standin' this minute; and the third are ten miles this side of the block-house, whar the trail goes through that swampy spot, and the branches are so thick over it that they almost sweep you off the back of your hoss. If he could pass them there three places without runnin' agin the varmints, he would be safe." "And where were Blazing Arrow and the rest in waiting?" "At the swampy place I war speakin' of; the varmints made up thar minds that they would be sure of you by goin' close to the block-house." "And how came father and mother to miss them?" "Jes' before reachin' the spot they turned out of the trail and went round it. It war powerful hard work pickin' thar way with thar horses among the trees and round the rocks, but they managed to do it, and did not come back to the trail till they war a half mile this side the spot whar the varmints war waitin' for 'em." "And ye mustn't forgit," said Larry, "that the spalpeens warn't looking for thim, but for us." Wharton's eyes kindled with pride at this proof of the wisdom of his parents. It made clear that which had been mystifying to him. "Bein' as your folks had done that," continued Kenton, "why, I thought it only perlite to do the same." "Why didn't Blazing Arrow and the others wait for us to come?" asked Wharton. "They got tired, though an Injun has more patience than a white man; but they begun to think that mebbe they war too late after all, and they set out to meet you." "But you say that we are close to the second place, that is to the ravine where I got my rifle back from Blazing Arrow."