Even while recognizing the truth of Giles’s words, I was in doubt as to which party of our friends stood more in need of aid just then. That the women could stand off the savages for a time seemed certain, and I knew only too well that the little company of Minute Boys, being all unsuspicious of danger from the rear, might easily be overwhelmed. Yet when Giles wheeled about, marching resolutely up the mountain, I followed, and neither of us spoke until Esther Hinchman, hearing our footsteps, crept cautiously out to see who might be approaching. The quick-eyed girl could readily see by our faces that something in the nature of a disaster had prevented the continuance of the journey, and coming yet farther from the cave, as if fearing lest those within should be unduly alarmed, she asked, in a whisper: “What is it?” I could not bring myself to tell her that even at the moment, when she fancied herself in comparative security, John Butler’s wolves were on the trail, and hesitated and stammered until Giles March cut me short by saying: “We met one of the savages on the trail not far from here, but succeeded only in wounding him. He was following us, and there is good reason for believing more than he may come very shortly.” I had looked to see Esther Hinchman overcome with alarm and grief, but to my surprise she bore herself as bravely as her brother could have done, asking sharply: “How long a time, think you, before they can get here?” “As to that, we have ample opportunity for making such further preparations for defence as may be needed,” I replied, able now to speak with her concerning the danger, since she seemed prepared to meet it. “Surely a full half-hour must pass before that cur can gather force enough to come upon us,--he hasn’t the courage to follow the trail farther alone, even though he may have the ability.” “What ought we to do in the way of making ready for them?” she asked, and I said, as I believed, that there was nothing further which could be done with profit, save it might be to roll the boulders a trifle closer together, and even while speaking I questioned if that would be advisable, since in the fight, which was almost certain to come sooner or later, it might be necessary for one or more of us to leave the cave secretly and quickly. “The others must be told,” she said, turning to run on in advance. Giles and I lingered that we might not witness the first outburst of grief in which we believed the women would indulge. When, five minutes later, we entered the cave, it could plainly be seen by the expression on the faces of Mistress Morley, Mistress Stockbridge and the others that the worst was known; but yet I could see no evidences of terror. The poor people had passed through so much that was horrible during the last eight and forty hours that it was no longer possible to cause them further alarm. Elias Shendle beckoned feebly to me with his uninjured hand, and, dropping on my knee beside him, I whispered: