"Indians," whispered Dick, as a canoe rounded a bend above them. "Not on the war path either, for the squaws are with them." [Illustration: "INDIANS", WHISPERED DICK.] "Can we speak mit them?" questioned Fritz, who was decidedly anxious to get into a canoe and stop this incessant walking, riding and running that had kept them so busy for so long. "It will probably be the only chance we'll get to get across the bay," answered Dick. "I believe we may as well risk it." The leading canoes were now abreast of the boys, and Dick and Fritz rose to their feet and hailed them. The hail was entirely unnecessary, however, for almost as soon as they had spoken the boys were covered by a dozen rifles. "Put your hands up, palms forward," said Dick, quickly setting the example himself. "Friends," he called to the Indians, who, despite their lack of paint, seemed very well prepared for hostilities. "Maybe we should schnell run for the woods already," said Fritz, rather startled by the sudden display of firearms, and sorry now that he had not stayed secure in the grass. "Too late now, Fritz," said Dick. "These fellows look all right, even if they are supplied with more arms than a regiment." Dick and Fritz approached the edge of the creek walking waist deep in the tall marsh grass. "Us no like Redcoats," Dick volunteered, pointing toward Fritz. "We are Americans. No like Redcoats." "Dot's right," chimed in Fritz, trying hard to smile into the mouths of a score of threatening rifles at once, and almost dislocating his neck in the endeavor. "And what's further they don't like us, not for something--nothing, I mean----" he ended, lamely. One of the redmen, a short, heavily built man, with fierce, dark eyes and a sharp nose, motioned to the boys to stand still while they held a short parley among themselves in a dialect that Dick could understand but little of. "They aren't from around here," commented Dick Dare to his companion. "That dialect of theirs is a sort of a mixture as far as I can make out and there isn't much of it I remember." "But I don'd see why we should be kept standing here all morgen, und my arms are all reatty beginning to drop off from such long holdings up of the hands." "Better to keep them up than to have them fill us full of lead for lowering them," replied Dick, who was trying with but slight success to make out the Indians' conversation. "What you boys want?" asked the chief, finally, when the boys were about ready to drop their hands and take the consequences. "Want to go with our friends, the red-men, and reach other side of big water," replied Dick. "We are your friends and would like to take canoe and paddle with the great chief and his people."