“Do not be so mysterious,” and Giles spoke in a tone of irritation, “but let us know what you are driving at.” “So you shall, lad; it was for that purpose I halted,” the old man said, deliberately, as if to weigh well his words before uttering them. “To begin with, we are all agreed that, as soon as the savage who has learned the secret of our hiding-place can tell his fellows what he knows, a large force will be sent to smoke us out. Now it is certain that, in case an attack is made upon the cave, but few of those on the inside can do anything against them, since, fortunately, the entrance is so narrow.” “No more than two can work to advantage there,” I interrupted, “and, with two others to reload the weapons, the place cannot be taken from the front, save by a determined rush, when the first six who presented themselves would surely be killed.” “Ay, and because of that same condition of affairs have we come out as if on a scout. I am satisfied there are none in the valley at this time whom we could aid, therefore our only show of accomplishing anything would be to lie in wait for small parties of the red fiends and wipe them out.” “And is that what you count on doing?” Giles March asked, impatiently. “No, lad, because I do not believe we would be warranted in that kind of fighting so long as we have with us the women and children. I was eager we three should come out, to the end that we might lie in wait nearabout until the enemy arrives, and it would go hard if, taking them in the rear after an attack on the cave was begun, we could not give the murderers a lesson such as they would not soon forget. If we had said as much before starting, it would have been hard work to keep the others back.” The old man’s plan was a good one, and I could readily understand that we might be able to do much execution when the time came; yet, because of what Esther Hinchman had said, I would have been better pleased to roam up and down the valley, in the hope of accomplishing something which might convince her I was able to do a man’s work. Giles March, however, was not willing to remain inactive as long as might be necessary in order to carry out what Master Bartlett had planned, arguing that it was not reasonable to suppose the savages could or would be likely to arrive before the day was spent and another nearly ended. “I agree that you have hit upon the proper trick to put a speedy end to any attack that may be made; but, if that was all we were to do, it would have been better that we remained in the cave with our friends at least until to-morrow noon,” he said, quickly. “Since we have come away, and to the end that we may not be forced to stay here sucking our thumbs, let us keep on to the river, having a good look at all the ruins, with the chance of finding some one who has been hidden as was Mistress Stockbridge.”