“Scart near to def’—­make b’lieve dead.”

Such undoubtedly was the case.  The negro, frightened at the appearance of two strangers, the foremost of whom he recognized as an Indian, had prostrated himself behind the bushes and feigned death in the hope that they would pass him by unnoticed.  The Lieutenant, now that they were so close to the Shawnees, where so much caution and skill were required, felt provoked to see the negro, and had little patience with his fooleries.

“Get up, Cato,” said he, rolling him over with his foot.  “You are not hurt, and we don’t want to see any of your nonsense.”

One of the negro’s eyes partially opened, and then he commenced yawning, stretching and shoving his feet over the leaves, as though he was just awaking.

“Hebens, golly! but dis nigger is sleepy,” said he.  “Hello! dat you, Oonomoo?  And bress my soul, if dar ain’t Massa Canfield,” he added, rising to his feet.

“How came you here?” asked Canfield.

“Come here my pussonal self—­walked and runn’d most ob de way.”

“But, we sent you to the settlement.  Why did you not go?”

“Bress your soul, Massa Canfield, I’ll bet dar’s ten fousand million Injines in de wood, atween us and de settlement.  I tried to butt my way trough dem, but dar was a few too many, and I had to gub it up.”

“How came you to wander so far out of your way as to get here?”

“Dunno; t’ought I’d take a near cut home, and s’pose I got here widout knowing anyt’ing about it.”.

“Well, Oonomoo, what’s to be done with him?”

“Take him ’long—­kill him if don’t do what want to.”

“You understand, Cato?  We don’t want you with us, but, there seems no help for it now; so we shall have to take you.  You must follow in our steps, and in no case make any outcry.”

The negro promised obedience, and, taking his position behind, they continued their journey, the Huron leading the way.  He proceeded some distance until he reached a dense portion of the wood, when he halted and turned around.

“Plenty time—­sleep some.”

These were pleasant words to the Lieutenant, who, in spite of his impatience, felt the need of sleep and rest before proceeding further.  All stretched themselves upon the ground, where, in a few minutes, they were wrapped in slumber.  The negro, Cato, lay some distance from the other two, and was the first to awake.  Carefully raising his head and discovering that the dreaded Huron was still unconscious, he silently arose to his feet, and, retreating some distance with great care and caution, he suddenly turned and ran at the top of his speed.  His motive for so doing will soon appear.

While our two friends are thus preparing themselves for the perilous duty before them, we will return to our old acquaintance, Hans Vanderbum, and his fair charge, in whom the reader, doubtless, feels a lively interest.