Captain Sinclair sighed, but made no reply. As soon as they had arrived at the mass of rock which Malachi had pointed out they all commenced collecting firewood, and the Strawberry in a few minutes had a sufficient fire for their purpose. They had not any cooking utensils with them, but the pork was cut in slices and stuck upon the ends of small sticks round the fire until it was sufficiently cooked, and then it was packed up again in parcels, with the exception of what was retained for their supper. They had finished their meal, and were sitting round the embers of the fire conversing and calculating the probabilities as to their overtaking the Indians, when Martin sprang up, with his rifle ready to bring to his shoulder. "What is it?" said Alfred in a low tone, as Martin held up his finger as a sign for silence. "There's somebody coming this way--he is behind that large tree," said Martin; "I see his head now, but it is too dark to make out who it may be." As Martin said this a low and singular sort of whistle between the teeth was heard, upon which the Strawberry gently put down Martin's rifle with her hand, saying-- "It is John." "John; impossible!" said Alfred. "It is," replied Strawberry. "I know well that whistle. I go to fetch him. Have no fear." Strawberry stepped out from the group, and went up to the tree, calling John softly by name, and in a few seconds afterwards returned, leading John by the hand, who, without saying a word, quietly seated himself down by the fire. "Well, John, how did you come here?" exclaimed Alfred. "Followed trail," replied John. "But how--when did you leave home?" "Yesterday," replied John, "when I came back." "But do your father and mother know that you have come?" said Captain Sinclair. "I met old Graves, and told him," replied John. "Have you any meat?" "The boy has had nothing since he left, I'll answer for it," said Martin, as the Strawberry handed some of the pork to John. "Have you, John?" "No," replied John, with his mouth full. "Let him eat," said Malachi; "it's long for a lad to be two days without food, for I'll answer he left as soon as he heard we were gone, and did not wait for yesterday's supper. Indeed, he must have done so, for he must have followed the trail some time yesterday to be up with us to-night; so let him eat in quiet." "What surprises me, Malachi, is how he could have found his way to us." "Well, sir, I do confess that I'm as much surprised almost as I am pleased," replied Malachi. "It is really a great feat for a lad to accomplish all by himself, and I am proud of him for having done it; but from the first I saw what a capital woodsman he would make, and he has not disappointed me." "There are not many who would have been able to do it, that's certain," said Martin. "I wonder as much as you do, Mr Alfred, how he could have done it; but he has the gift."