The transformation was so great and unexpected, for even Roland looked to find in the wanderer, if not a destroying angel, at least some formidable champion of the forest, that he could scarce forbear a laugh, as Nathan came stalking up, followed by little Peter, who stole to the rear, as soon as strangers were perceived, as if to avoid the kicks and cuffs which his experience had, doubtless, taught him were to be expected on all such occasions.  The young man felt the more inclined to indulge his mirth, as the character which Bruce had given him of Wandering Nathan, as one perfectly acquainted with the woods, convinced him that he could not have fallen upon a better person to extricate him from his dangerous dilemma, and thus relieved his breast of a mountain of anxiety and distress.  But the laugh with which he greeted his approach found no response from Nathan himself, who, having looked with amazement upon Edith and Telie, as if marvelling what madness had brought females at that hour into that wild desert, turned at last to the soldier, demanding, with inauspicious gravity,—­

“Friend! does thee think thee is in thee own parlour with thee women at home, that thee shouts so loud and laughs so merrily? or does thee know thee is in a wild Kentucky forest, with murdering Injuns all around thee?”

“I trust not,” said Roland, much more seriously; “but, in truth, we all took you for Nick of the Woods, the redoubtable Nick himself; and you must allow that our terrors were ridiculous enough, when they could convert a peaceful man like you into such a blood-thirsty creature.  That there are Indians in the wood I can well believe, having the evidence of Dodge, here, who professes to have seen six, and killed one, and of my own eyes into the bargain.—­Yonder lies one, dead, at this moment, under the walnut-tree, killed by some unknown hand,—­Telie Doe says by Nick of the Woods himself—­”

“Friend,” said Nathan, interrupting the young man, without ceremony, “thee had better think of living Injuns than talk of dead ones; for, of a truth, thee is like to have trouble with them!”

“Not now, I hope, with such a man as you to help me out of the woods.  In the name of heaven, where am I, and whither am I going?”

“Whither thee is going,” replied Nathan, “it might be hard to say, seeing that thee way of travelling is none of the straightest:  nevertheless, if thee continues thee present course, it is my idea, thee is travelling to the Upper Ford of the river, and will fetch it in twelve minutes, or thereabouts, and, in the same space, find theeself in the midst of thirty ambushed Injuns.”

“Good heavens!” cried Roland, “have we then been labouring only to approach the cut-throats?  There is not a moment, then, to lose, and your finding us is even more providential than I thought.  Put yourself at our head, lead us out of this den of thieves,—­conduct us to the Lower Ford,—­to our companions, the emigrants; or, if that may not be, take us back to the Station,—­or any where at all, where I may find safety for these females.—­For myself, I am incapable of guiding them longer.”