To his astonishment the horses were just coming out of the woods, feeding hungrily on the thick grass. "Indians!" he muttered. But then he cried out with joy. "Agnes!" he cried; "Agnes, you here?" The girl, who had released the horses and was driving them out of their hiding place, smiled as she saw the boys. "Brother," she said cheerfully, "Oh, what a surprise!" Then she fell around his neck and kissed him ardently. CHAPTER XII AGNES' STORY AND HARTFORD "We must not stay," the girl said, as soon as she had greeted her brothers. "The Indians will surely come back, and we must reach the other side of the river. I am glad you are here. Oh, how good the Lord is! I prayed for your deliverance ever since I was captured, but did not believe that the good Lord would hear my prayers and grant my request so soon." "What do you want to do?" asked Fred. "Tie the horses together, and swim the river. There are no Indians on the other side, and we can make Hartford easily." "How do you know that?" Matthew asked. "Don't ask foolish questions," the girl pleaded; "help me get these horses roped together. Then I will leap into the river with the end of the rope tied to my saddle, and the horses must follow. You bring up the rear." She was so resolute that the boys did not resist, but did her bidding. "But where did you get that fine Indian pony?" Fred asked when the work was done. "No questions, until we are on the other side," Agnes said; "that belonged to a Pequot chief once; now it is mine by right of spoils." She mounted her pony and at once drove it into the stream; the other horses followed, urged on by the showers of blows which Fred and Matthew gave them. The crossing was dangerous, for the river was wide and the current swift. But after much struggling they got across and spurred their mounts up the bank. "There is a trail that leads north," Agnes said; "let's find it. Loose the horses, and let me ride ahead." "What a wonderful girl she is!" Matthew exclaimed; "she is a veritable leader." Soon the boys heard the hooting of an owl, and they whipped their horses into a trot. Agnes had found the trail. "Come now," she admonished them, "we must do some fast riding, until we are safe. Then I will tell you my story." For two hours they rode in silence, Agnes taking the lead on her piebald pony which was a wonderful traveler in the woods, much more clever and docile than their own horses. Sometimes the trail was hard to find, but the Indian pony followed his sense of smell and walked on and on. "We are making good time, thanks to my pony," Agnes said jubilantly. "Come on with your steeds, gentlemen; don't mind it, if they are a little tired." However, the horses were showing signs of fatigue, since they had not eaten for two days. "Very well," Agnes said; "look!" The river made a sweeping bend, and from the high bank they could see the fort.