Next morning, Thursday, we arose and made our breakfast of cold potatoes, and meat. We dared not speak aloud from fear that Indians might be near. It was some trouble to keep the little ones quiet, sometimes, but usually they were very still. Johnny now got so that he began to walk a little again, but when I first overtook him, he was unable to stand alone. About ten o’clock, Mr. Ireland said he could not stand it any longer, and would go to the house. He was much better now than he had been, before: but, one night, while we were staying at the house, Mrs. Hurd and myself thought he was dying, from the wounds through his lungs. He set out for the house, but had gone but a little way, when we heard the barking of dogs. This seemed to us proof that Indians, with their dogs, were upon us, and we expected to hear the report of a gun that should be the first fired at poor Uncle Tommy. No one can imagine what we then suffered with fear. Presently the dogs came crackling through the bushes, and stopped, when in sight of us, looking intently at us. I feared they would bark, and bring Indians about us, but they did not. They turned back and were gone some time. Next time, they came close to us, lay down about a rod from us, and finally went away again. They were large, coal-black dogs, and did not look cross, but quite the reverse. I told Mrs. Hurd that if they came to us again, I would try to make friends with them, and, perhaps, they would not betray us. Sometime after noon, they came the third time; the largest one came close to me and looked very wistful. Not daring to speak, I merely snapped my fingers at him, on which he came up, showing all a dog’s signs of joy, and licking my face and hands. Glad to see a friendly disposition shown us, by even a dog, I caressed him and gave him some meat. Presently the crackling of the brush was again heard. Looking up, in dismay, we caught sight of an object, that looked like an Indian, a blanket over his head. A terrible fright seized us all: my heart beat so loud that I thought he must hear it; but he soon appeared from behind some bushes, and proved to be no one but Mr. Ireland. His coming cheered us now, as much as it had, just before, frightened us. He said the dogs probably had belonged to Mr. Brown, for they seemed at home at the house. He tried his best to persuade us to go there, but we steadily refused. He had eaten some potatoes, corn, &c., and brought us some of the parched corn: he soon returned to the house, to stay there alone.