came their position would no longer be safe. With the coming of the morning light the hostile Indians would surely discover their trail and follow it to the base of the large oak tree. If they were to escape, now was the time to do so.

23

“Come,” said Deerfoot in a low voice.

He cautiously arose and started to make his way down the strange stairway. Joseph and Robert followed closely behind. Slowly and as quietly as possible they descended the tree and soon their feet were on solid ground once more. There they stood for a moment, and then, with Deerfoot in the lead, they started to retrace their course of the night before.

They had covered a hundred yards or more when suddenly from a bush almost directly in front of them came the sharp bark of a rifle. A bullet whistled over their heads.

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CHAPTER III A DEVASTATED HOME

A DEVASTATED HOME

All three immediately dropped on their hands and knees. Rifles in hand they scurried for the nearest shelter and awaited developments. A puff of smoke floated upward from the bush whence the shot had come, as the three fugitives stretched themselves prone behind the trunk of a large fallen tree. After many moments of waiting Deerfoot cautiously raised his head.

He dropped back again quickly, however, as a rifle ball splintered the bark scarcely ten inches from him. Evidently their enemy was keeping a sharp lookout. Apparently there was only one Indian in the bush, but neither of the two young pioneers nor their red ally cared to take any chances with him. For some moments there was absolute silence in that part of the 25forest where this little drama was being enacted.

25

Suddenly Deerfoot stirred. He evidently had some scheme he wished to put into execution.

“Give Deerfoot hat,” he whispered to Joseph, who lay next to him.

Without hesitation Joseph did as he was told. Deerfoot pulled a strip of bark from the fallen tree and placed the hat upon one end of it, while he held to the other. Cautiously and slowly he raised the hat until it 

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