In the crisp fall all the men except the very old left on a grand hunt, to bring back meat and prepare for winter. The old women and girls and little children remained in the town with the old men. The four young white Indians had not been taken, either. They had to stay. They were thought not to be old enough, yet. "I reckon this is our best chance to escape," said Buck Elk, when he might. Little Fat Bear nodded. "We'll plan and watch sharp. If one goes, all'll have to go, though. No lone trail." "Of course. We won't desert each other." "But we've got to wait for a clear field. It's a pesky long way home." "That's so. Just the same, we can make it if we have a good start." They told the other boys, and they all lay low, waiting and scheming. "We're going fishing to-morrow," finally announced Buck Elk, to Fat Bear. "Want to?" And he winked. "Who!" "All of us. Old White Eagle and Singing Bird are going with us, to clean the fish. But that doesn't matter." They were the old father and mother who lived in the same family with Buck Elk. "Time's getting awful short," Fat Bear mused. "But maybe we can try something." With wrinkled White Eagle and Singing Bird scuttling close behind, they went fishing in the river below the village. They had not said it to each other, but they hoped never to come back. They must make a break for liberty soon. The warriors might return within a week. The forest beckoned close at hand. And southward, far, far southward, their real home called to them. They had been gone almost eight months, but it felt like an age. "To-night, huh?" murmured Buck Elk, as he and Little Fat Bear fished together, and the two old Indians drowsed in the shade, or wove baskets of reeds. "How?" "Light out from camp while they're asleep. May not get another chance. That's why I told 'em we'd like to stay all night, so as to get plenty fish." "They'll signal help and trail us. Some of those old men can travel heap fast." "So can we. We'll have a head start, and I don't believe there's anybody in the village who can catch us." "All right. They can't do any more than beat us if they do catch us. We'll tell the other fellows." They sidled along, until they could tell their partners. "I'll go," Fat Bear's spunky brother agreed at once. "If they try to catch us we'll fight 'em off with clubs and rocks. Who's afraid of the old men? We'll make their tongues hang out." "I'll go, you bet," agreed the fourth, also. "My folks need me. I'm sick of playing Injun." "Well, we'll all lie down to sleep; and in the middle of the night I'll wake you up," proposed Buck Elk. "Sure?" "Sure. Now don't let's talk any more."