“My bullet went wide of its mark, I feel certain,” Oscar said in reply to my question. “I fired at what was hardly more than a shadow; but Mistress Morley believes hers sped with truer aim, and I am counting, if there be not a dead Indian on the trail a short distance in front of us, one grievously wounded is trying to make his way to the river.” Giles March would have gone out to learn what he could, but that I insisted on his remaining, for the price he might be called upon to pay would be too great simply for the satisfying of our curiosity. Well, of what we said that night among ourselves I could write many pages; but they would be entertaining only to those who took part in the conversation, therefore is it enough if I say that we kept vigilant watch throughout all the long hours of darkness. After a new day was come, rendering it possible to see each other’s faces, I fancied that all the wounded lads were in better condition than they had been four and twenty hours previous, while each of our small party wore a look of hopefulness, in vivid contrast with the despair that had been written on the features when first arriving at that place of refuge. Giles March and I had long since taken the places of Oscar Stephenson and Mistress Morley at the entrance, and after meat, which had been cooked the day previous, and water was brought to us that we might at least go through the form of eating breakfast, Giles asked of me: “Which shall it be, Jonathan Ogden, you or me?” “What mean you?” I inquired in perplexity. “Was it not in your mind last night that one of us would go to meet the others of our company?” I made no reply for the moment; that which a short time previous had seemed the proper thing to do now looked much like foolhardiness. During the night I had persuaded myself that the savages could not come upon us in any force within six and thirty hours at the most, because of the fact that they must necessarily be scattered all over the valley in their work of butchery, and I had more desire to linger there on the chance of our friends coming to learn of our fate than of dividing the force. I gave words to much of that which was in my mind; but Giles March would not be convinced it was the part of wisdom for us thus to delay, and I argued the matter at considerable length until, while we were yet talking incautiously loud, the sound of footsteps could be heard but a short distance in front of us. On the instant we were on the alert and ready for what had a ring of danger in it, and then came a low call like the note of a catbird, whereupon I ran out quickly, knowing that Master Bartlett was near at hand. What a relief it was when I saw all of our friends had returned, and the look of anxiety, which had not yet passed from their faces, told how disturbed in mind they had been regarding our safety. “You have had a tussle with the savages,” Master Bartlett said, hurriedly, as I advanced to meet him. “How know you that?”