The others agreed once more, and talked further of the new league.  They did not go into much detail about their adventures while spying on the villages, rather looking now to the future.

“I told you, Paul, we ought to a-put a knife in that Braxton Wyatt when we had the chance,” growled Shif’less Sol.

“I couldn’t do it, Sol,” replied Paul.

Later they held a conference beside a bed of coals that threw out no smoke, and Paul listened with absorbed attention while Henry stated the case fully.

“The Shawnees were somewhat daunted by their repulse at Wareville last year,” he said, “but they hope yet to crush the white settlement before we grow too strong.  They are seeking to draw the Miamis, Wyandottes, and all the other tribes up here into a league for that purpose, and they want to have it formed and strike while our people are not expecting it.  Wareville, owing to her victory of last year, thinks she’s safe, and it is not the custom of Indians to raid much in winter.  See, cold weather is not far away.”

Henry looked up, and the eyes of the others followed.  The trees were still clothed in leaves, but the blazing reds and yellows and the dim mist on the horizon showed that Indian summer was at hand.

“Any day,” continued Henry, “a cold wind may strip off all these leaves, and winter, which can be very cold up here, will come roaring down.  Now, the Shawnees are more than willing to cross the Ohio again to attack us, but the Miamis, while ready enough to take white scalps up here, have not yet made up their minds to go south on the war trail.  The Shawnees are sending war belts to them, because the Miamis are a powerful tribe and have many warriors.  The first thing for us to do is to take the messengers with the war belts.”

“An’ to do that,” said Shif’less Sol, “we’ve got to git off this islan’ ez soon ez we kin, an’ shake off the band o’ Miamis.  Thar is always work fur a tired man to do.”

Paul laughed at his tone of disgust.  The boy’s spirits were high now; in fact, he was exuberant over the safe return of his comrades, and the entire enterprise appealed with steadily increasing force to him.  To hinder and prevent the Indian alliance until the white settlements were strong enough to defy all the tribes!  This was in truth a deed worth while!  It was foresight, statesmanship, a long step in the founding of a great state, and he should have a part in it!  Already his vivid mind painted the picture of his comrades and himself triumphant.

“We must go to-night, if it is dark,” said Henry.

“That’s so,” said Tom Ross emphatically.

The three had captured fresh supplies of ammunition while they were gone, and they replenished the powder-horns and bullet pouches of Paul and Jim Hart.  Moreover, they had taken blankets, of a fine, soft, light but warm make, probably bought by the Indians from European traders, and they gave one each to Paul and Jim Hart.