There was no attempt to use caution or care in hurrying forward. Somehow or other Jake Golcher had gotten on the track of the little party, and, with a number of Seneca , almost as keen of eye and as bloodhounds, was following them.  
Fortunately, the distance to the cave was not great, and the were walking fast, and in the right direction.
 
The heavy figure of Gravity Gimp kept its place at the front, and with a coolness scarcely to be expected, he looked to the right and left as he advanced, with the sole purpose of preventing any precious moments being lost by going astray.
 
All heard the bird-calls, whistling, and faint uttered with very little intermission, from different portions of the wood, so that it was certain the Tories and Indians knew of the flight, and were in sharp pursuit.
 
The African, as we have said, maintained his place well in advance, though at times it looked as if Habakkuk would take the lead. But both along, sometimes half falling over the stones which turned beneath their tread, or the briers and vines that almost threw them on their faces.
 
Gravity could not afford time to look to his feet, to see where he placed the rather members, for it required all his training, as a hunter, to keep his reckoning and to make sure he was taking the most direct route to the sheltering cave, upon which all hopes were now .
 
Although McEwen had come a long distance to help the invasion of the Wyoming Valley, he was accustomed to fight where there was plenty of support, and he knew enough of ferocity to the collision that now .
 
Had he known, therefore, the right course to follow, he would have been in advance of the others; but as it was, he because he was forced to keep on the flank of the negro, whom he was continually urging to greater speed.
 
"As sure as a gun," he said, "those fleet-footed redskins will gobble us up in five minutes, if you don't get up more speed than that, Gravity."
 
"I can't conwerse while I'm tumbling over rocks and splitting 'em to pieces wid my head," was the reply. "Don't bodder me, but look out for Injuns, and if you see one, just run up to him and lamm him."
 
"Lamm him!" muttered Habakkuk, more to himself than his companion. "That shows the intelligence of his race. He's so dumb at times that he crosses the line, and does smart things."
 
Aunt Peggy was not far in the rear of the two, for she was much of............