real old warrior, from all accounts.”

6

“He must be,” exclaimed Robert. “He doesn’t think for a minute that he can whip the United States, though, does he? How many warriors has he, anyway?”

“About five hundred or more, according to Deerfoot. He expects, however, that the Winnebagos, Pottowattomies, and Kickapoos will go in with him, and if they do they can make it pretty hot for a while around here.”

“Deerfoot won’t fight, will he?”

“No, indeed,” said Joseph. “At least he said he wouldn’t fight with Black Hawk. He doesn’t think that those other three tribes will join him, either. He thinks Black Hawk will find only his own men with him when the time comes.”

“When is the time coming?”

“It has already come. Black Hawk is on the trail with a party now, and is going to make 7war on the settlers. He expects it will take the Whites some time to organize and by that time he himself will have large reinforcements from the other tribes.”

7

“Well,” said Robert, “if he intends to make war on the settlers what is there to prevent him from picking out the Hall family to start with?”

“Nothing in the world. That’s just what I said to father, but he told me to pay no attention to such nonsense. I thought we ought to have guns out in the field here, but he said not. Just the same, I sneaked both yours and mine out of the house and hid them in that bush over there. Maybe father isn’t worried, but I am.”

“Well, I’m worried, too,” agreed Robert. “I don’t think I’m a coward by any means, but it seems to me it is a silly thing to do to stay right on here as if there was no danger at all, when at any moment we may be attacked by a band of hostile Indians.”

“Still,” said Joseph, “we have no special reason for thinking that we are to be the first ones attacked. Perhaps if some other family is murdered, father may realize that it is serious and move on to some safe place for a while.”

“Yes, and he may wait too long.”

8“You can’t tell father there is any danger, though.”

8

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