“Four years, since I’ve travelled through this place. But it’s bad news I bring ’em this time, so it is. Wouldn’t blame ’em if they didn’t believe me, not a bit; but ’twould be bad times for ’em if they shouldn’t. Them as knows Davy Barring won’t doubt his word in Injin matters, not by a long shot. Wonder, though, how the settlers will like the idee o’ runnin’ away from these four tribes of heathens, with old Black Hawk and all his crew yellin’ round their ears? Blame me if I don’t wish there were a hundred or two men jis’ like myself, to rally here and give ’em a warmin’! Wouldn’t there be a skittish time, though? But there isn’t; so we may as well take things as they come. Maybe, arter all, the reds will strike another way, and give these folks a chance to take the back track. But it does come hard to give up all a man’s done for six or ten years, and leave it to such ornery villains. It’s a consolation there isn’t as many o’ the redskins as there would have been if Davy Barring hadn’t been born; and it’s sure there’ll be less yet, if nothin’ happens to Mister Davy, and his old rifle don’t miss fire.” The scout spoke with an air which showed his sincerity and determination. Indeed, the mission upon which he was engaged was one of no ordinary moment. Scouting upon the western shore of the Mississippi, then unsettled by white men, he had learned the intent of the savages, who, under Black Hawk, their renowned chief, had determined to repossess themselves on the soil from which they had been driven. Justly concerned for the fate of his friends, David at once had set out to warn them. “I wonder how the Hinton family will receive this news?” he mused, as he stole along. “It may be they have moved away, though I presume not. However, it’s not more’n five miles further to their cabin, and then I can satisfy myself. Pretty Emily Hinton! A sweeter girl than she never crossed the path of a mortal man. If I ever hoped to wed, there’s no other woman I ever saw that would take my fancy like her. But that can’t be. I never could give up this kind o’ life, and it’s no life for a woman to share. I always hoped that Charles Markley and Emily would come together. But that is none of my business.” The scout paused and looked around. The sun had been for some time below the horizon, and darkness had spread itself over the forest depths. David had travelled a long way. He was hungry and weary. For some moments he stood irresolute. “It will be three hours before the moon rises,” he said, at length, “and I can do no better than to wait for it. Perhaps I could find the cabin in the dark; but more likely I’d miss it, seein’ I haven’t been over the ground in so long. Leastwise, I’ll reach it sooner to wait till the old maid overhead gets up a little, and I shall have to use all my strength in time to come. So I’ll couch here, and may be get an hour or two of sleep.”