Joe leant against the palisade, holding with one hand the breech of his gun, while the barrel was thrust through the loophole, and seemed to be indulging in a peculiar train of reflections.

“Now, I’d much rather be in Philadelphia,” said he, in a voice but little louder than a, whisper, and unconscious of giving utterance to his thoughts—­“a great deal rather be there—­in some comfortable oyster-cellar—­than standing out here in the lone wilderness, up to my knees in snow, and expecting every minute to have a poisoned arrow shot through my head.  Hang it all!  I wonder what pleasure Mr. Glenn can enjoy here?  Suppose, now, while I’m standing here thinking, an arrow should dart over the, other side, and stick five or six inches into me?  I hope they keep a careful look-out.  And that reminds me that I ought to keep an eye out myself, for fear some one may he pinked from my side.”  He applied his eye to the hole, and continued in the same strain:  “I don’t see a single living thing; maybe they’ve all gone off.  If they have, I’ll deserve all the credit, for I’m the only person that shot at them.  And I don’t think that long hatchet-face Sneak will think that I’m a coward any more.  But these savages are strange beings; I had no more idea that the bush hid an Indian than that there’s one not ten feet off now, under the snow.  And if we hadn’t found him out he might have crawled up and shot me in the eye through this hole.  I won’t hold my eye here all the time!” said he, rising, and to his astonishment Sneak stood at his elbow, whither he had glided softly, his quick ear having caught the hum of Joe’s soliloquy, and his curiosity leading him to find out the meaning of the mysterious jargon of his companion-in-arms.

“Of all the men I ever saw you are the dod-rottedest!” exclaimed Sneak, after staring at him a few moments in silent wonderment, and then striding back to his post.

“I should like to hear that sentence parsed,” said Joe, looking after him.

The hours wore on in peace, until midnight, when a low chattering, like that of a squirrel, was heard in the valley below; while a shrill whistling, resembling that of quails was distinguished above.

“Come hither!” exclaimed Boone in a whisper to Glenn.

“Do you see any of them?” inquired Glenn, joining his friend.

“Not yet—­but we will see enough of them presently.  The sounds in the valleys are signals, and they will attack us on these sides.  You may abandon your watch on the east, and assist me here.”

“And you may come and spell me,” said Sneak to Joe.

“I must not desert my post,” said Joe.

“If you stay there, you’ll be dead sure to be shot!” replied Sneak.

“You don’t think they’re coming back, do you?” inquired Joe, gliding swiftly to Sneak’s side.

“They’ll be on us in no time.  Is your gun loaded?

“I declare I have forgotten whether I loaded it again or not!” said Joe.