The Indians quickly stepped out, gathered up their few possessions and their rifles, and roped the canoes together so that the four young men whom Telca had picked out might convey the whole string to the hiding place. "Young men catch up to us soon," volunteered Telca. "We will not wait." "Hope they do," replied Dick. "We aren't any too strong now and every man will count if we run into that British troop again." "Young men will be with their people by the end of this sun," responded Telca, confidently. "Young men travel fast." "Mein gootness, I'm glat ve don'd haf to race like those fellars," said Fritz. "Und also I could vish Tim Murphies vas mit dem." "Why?" asked Dick. "Dot Irisher, I vould haf his legs run off alreaty," chuckled Fritz. "I wish we knew for certain where he and Tom are," replied Dick. "Berhabs they vould call on us this efening," said Fritz. "Well, wondering won't do any good, so let's move along. The tribe are striking off along the trail, and if we want to go with them at all we had better hurry. These Indians are awful fast travelers when they want to be." Dick and Fritz picked up the rifles they had borrowed from the Indians and set off after the party. The pace was swift and they were soon in the rougher and less traveled trails. The red men moved without any apparent effort and glided noiselessly along, yet covering the ground in very quick time. The women, although carrying light burdens, were just as accustomed to the trail as their masters, and made no complaint as they followed their leaders. "If I should von of those red wimmins marry, yet, I vould do no more vork already," said Fritz. "And I just hope that if you get anyone to take care of you for the rest of your life, that it's one of the kind that keeps you moving," replied Dick, laughing. "Dot's just my luck wot is, to got von like it," grumbled Fritz. "This is sure enough a rough path," said Dick, as they stumbled over the roots of a giant tree that stretched across the trail. "Yah, this is for roughness a vonder," replied Fritz. In spite of the difficulties of the trail, however, the band made exceptionally rapid progress and with but a brief halt at noon-day for a hasty meal and a short breathing space, they pushed on again and by night-fall were far into the mountains. That evening Dick asked Telca about the four young men whom they had left with the canoes. "They will sleep with us before the next sun," replied the chief. Dick didn't say any more on that subject, but he was still wondering where they were and whether or not they would have come across any trace of the pursuing party when he dropped off to sleep. Fritz had already fallen fast asleep and with the exception of the three solitary outposts, all were resting after their hard march.