“Just now, I admit, we are not in very fine trim for fighting,” Master Bartlett said, cheerily, “but that isn’t saying we sha’n’t get into shape once more. It is a matter of staying here and sucking our thumbs till night shall come again, and then, if you lads cannot drag me through the water as before, we’ll put together a raft and drift down until we have arrived opposite Forty Fort, where I venture to say we shall be welcomed as those who did their duty, even when they turned their backs upon the enemy.” Well, much as he said, so we did. Looking far up the river, we could see in the distance bands of savages on the western bank prowling around as if searching for those who had escaped their clutches, and but few of them were sufficient to keep us well within the shelter of the foliage, for however much a fellow may prate about standing in front of the foe until death comes, he does not in cold blood court that death very ardently. We did not even dare to come out from our place of concealment to get water, and by noon it seemed as if my throat was parched, the thirst being all the greater because everywhere around were the means of quenching it, but just beyond our reach. We were hungry; but that was of small moment as compared with the craving for something to drink, and, with the view of taking our minds from the suffering, Master Bartlett told stories of what he had done during his younger days, when the valley was nearly the same as a wilderness, or described how the first settlers fought in turn the many claimants for the lands. So the time passed, wearily, slowly, but none the less surely, until the sun, which had seemed at times to stand still in the heavens, sank toward the west, bringing evening near at hand. Then, for the first time, did we question as to how we would make our way down-stream. Master Bartlett was in favor of building a raft of such saplings as could be cut with our knives, binding them together with vines, but both Giles and I insisted that, having rested during twelve or fifteen hours, we were well able to swim with him between us, and finally persuaded the old man to agree to such method of travelling. Night was not yet fully come when we three crept down to the edge of the river, and, plunging our heads beneath the surface, revelled in the supply of water, enjoying the sweetest draughts I have ever known. With thirst quenched, it was as if my courage returned, and I felt confident that, however many of John Butler’s force might be between us and Forty Fort, we could succeed in entering that place of refuge, although how long it might remain such was an open question. “We shall simply be continuing the fight which was begun at Fort Jenkins,” Master Bartlett said, as we stood on the shore waiting for the darkness to cover us more completely, “and I am counting on finding the remainder of your company there, Jonathan Ogden.”