It is not necessary I should say that we unbarred the gate without delay, and, when Giles came in, throwing down the buck with the air of one who has borne his burden as long as possible, I cried out, even before greeting the others: “How did you dare spend time in hunting when the woods are filled with savages?” “In the first place I didn’t spend any time hunting, and next, it seems as if all the Indians who were round about the stockade had beat a retreat to Wintermoot’s.” Then Master Bartlett, dropping his load on the ground, said, with boyish glee: “There is meal enough, lad, to fatten your larder for two or three days, at all events, and Daniel has got of dried deer flesh as much as will serve to keep your jaws working for a full fortnight.” The girl entered the stockade hurriedly, looking around with an air of most intense relief, as if she had at last arrived at some secure place of refuge, instead of having come where the chances were that death awaited her. “There is little need to keep more than one sentinel on duty,” Master Bartlett said, with a laugh, “for, from what we have seen, the brave band of Mohawks has decided to throw up the job with which John Butler entrusted them, and are spending their time in all kinds of heathenish mummery round about their lodges at Wintermoot’s.” Hearing this, every fellow leaped from the platform and gathered around those whose mission had been so quickly but thoroughly performed, to hear their story. “I will stand on guard while you tell us how it happened that you could not only do what seemed impossible; but have brought with you that of which we stood sorely in need,” I cried, all that burden of fear and responsibility suddenly lifted from my shoulders, as I sprang upon the platform just over the small gate. “I reckon Giles had best spin the yarn,” Master Bartlett said, “while I attend to my rheumatics, for spending the night nearabout the river has not done my old joints any good.” Then the old man fell to rubbing his knees energetically, and I knew, despite the smile which he forced to his face, that he was suffering; but, when I taxed him with it, he denied that he was in any great pain, saying it was better to drive away the ache before it had fairly settled down, than wait until it gained firm lodgment. The remainder of the company clamored for a recital of what had been done, so Giles could do no less than go into the details, while Daniel led his sister to the blockhouse as if, which undoubtedly was the case, she needed repose. “It was all so easy that, but for our precautions, we might have got back by daylight,” Giles began. “Believing the Indians were stationed as they had been before the attack, we wormed our way through the underbrush, thinking ourselves wondrously fortunate in not coming across any, and only when we were within an hundred yards, perhaps, of Wintermoot’s did we see the first show of an enemy.”