The night was far advanced when Fred Linden and Terry Clark reached the stream, where the former remarked that their progress was stopped. Of course he meant that they could continue if they chose to make another raft or they could , but they had journeyed so far since dusk, and the trouble of constructing a float was such that he thought it best to wait where they were until daylight. They were pretty well fagged out, and nothing could have been more grateful than to throw themselves on the ground and sleep for several hours.  
Terry was as tired as his companion, but he stood , inclined to think it best that they should push on.
 
"The stream doesn't look very deep," said he, "and if ye agraas wid me that we can wade, it'll be wiser if we make tother side and then journey to the nixt straam."
 
"But that may be a good many miles further on."
 
"Thin all we have to do is to travel a good many miles," said the Irish lad, sitting down to take off his shoes.
 
"I shall never give in to you," remarked Fred, also seating himself and beginning to remove his foot-gear.
 
Before any thing more could be done, however, both were startled by the discovery that some one was on the other side of the stream. First they heard the guttural which they knew were made by Indians, and then they saw one of the red men come out into full view in the moonlight.
 
Without a word, the boys hastily moved back under the shadow of the trees, making sure that they also placed several rods between them and the trail which they had followed to the edge of the water. Secure from observation, they fastened their eyes on the other bank, where they saw an interesting sight.
 
Three Indian stood for five minutes in plain sight, while they discussed the same question that had engaged the lads—that is, in what manner the stream should be crossed.
 
It did not take them long to decide. The foremost stepped into the water, followed by the other two, none removing his moccasins or leg-gear, and in a brief while they came out upon dry land again, within fifty feet of where the lads were under shelter.
 
The boys trembled as they realized how narrow their escape had been. Had they not paused for a few minutes, they would have been in the middle of the stream, just as the others came down to the edge of the water. In the light of their recent experience with the Winnebagos, they had not a particle of doubt that the three belonged to the same tribe and that they were fierce enemies. Had they not the boys, they would have made captives of both and conducted them to the main party. Then when it should have been found that one of the prisoners had the gun that once belonged to the Wolf, their fate would have been sealed.
 
The incident drove from the mind of Fred all wish to tarry on the road. He wished that they were many miles on their way to the camp in the Ozarks. They considered themselves members of the little party of hunters whom they could not reach any too soon.
 
"I obsarved while the spalpeens were wadin'," said Terry, "that none of them wint lower in the water than their knees. Why didn't they take off their shoes like dacent gintlemen, and cross as they should; but bein' as they didn't do the same, why, we'll sit them the example."
 
A minute later, the boys stepped into the stream, and, by using care, reached the other side, with all their garments dry. Their shoes were quickly replaced, and the two were off again, so moved by what they had seen, that for the time they forgot and every thing else.
 
"I tell you, Terry, that matters are beginning to look worse than even Deerfoot thought, and you know that when he left us he didn't feel satisfied, by any means."
 
"Could it be," asked his companion, "that these spalpeens don't belong to the same crowd that we saw?"
 
"I am quite sure they do; these three would not have been so separated from the others."
 
"Where could they have come from?" asked the puzzled Terry.
 
"Where all the Indians come from—the woods. I suppose a large party of Winnebagos have been off on a tramp, and they are coming together with a view of going home or of making an attack on some place or persons."
 
A guess, like this, sometimes comes closer to the truth than a theory. The three Indians whom they had so narrowly escaped were members of Black Bear's party and were on their way to meet him. Furthermore, there were more of them at no great distance.
 
"Me father lost his life by the Indians," said Terry, in a soft voice; "but though it was not known what tribe the same belonged to, I don't think they were Winnebagos; but Indians are Indians and are always ready to kill white people whiniver the chance comes along."
 
"You are right; father doesn't think there is the least danger or he wouldn't have sent for me. He has hunted several seasons without any trouble with them, but he ought to have learned long ago to be forever on the watch."
 
"Fred," said the other, stopping short in his excitement; "do ye think they are goin' to attack the sittlement?"
 
"Impossible! There's the blockhouse and plenty of men to defend it against a thousand ."
 
"But the woods saam to be full of thim; there may be some kind of an Indian war that has broke out and these are the first part of the rid army that is to coom down and swaap us over the Rocky Mountains."
 
But Fred could not share in this fear. He faced to the front again and laughed, as he resumed his walk.
 
"There couldn't be any thing like that wit............