The camp field was the largest of the savannas or natural clearings.  On the margin of the stream the Indian lodges were pitched in a semicircle to face the water.  Farther back, Falconnet’s troop was hutted in rough-and-ready shelters made of pine boughs—­these disposed to stand between the camp of the Cherokees and the tepee-lodge of the captive women which stood among the trees in that edge of the forest hemming the slope which buttressed our cliff of observation.

At first we sought in vain for the storing-place of the powder.  It was the sharp eyes of the Catawba that finally descried it.  A rude housing of pine boughs, like the huts of the troopers, had been built at the base of a great boulder on the opposite bank of the stream; and here was the lading of the powder train.

From what could be seen ’twas clear that the camp was no mere bivouac for the day; indeed, the Englishmen were still working upon their pine-bough shelters, building themselves in as if for a stay indefinite.

“’Tis a rest camp,” quoth Dick; “though why they should break the march here is more than I can guess.”

“No,” said Ephraim Yeates. “’Tain’t jest rightly a rest camp, ez I take it.  Ez I was a-saying last night, this here is Tuckasege country, and we ain’t no furder than a day’s running from the Cowee Towns.  Now the Tuckaseges and the over-mounting Cherokees ain’t always on the best o’ tarms, and I was a wondering if the hoss-captain hadn’t sot down here to wait whilst he could send a peace-offer’ o’ powder and lead on to the Cowee chiefs to sort o’ smooth the way.”

“No send him yet; going to send,” was Uncanoola’s amendment.  “Look-see, Chelakee braves make haste for load horses down yonder now!”

Again the sharp eyes of the Catawba had come in play.  At the foot of the great boulder some half dozen of the Cherokees were busy with the powder cargo, lashing pack-loads of it upon two horses.  One of the group, who appeared to be directing the labor of the others, stood apart, holding the bridle reins of three other horses caparisoned as for a journey.  When the loading was accomplished to the satisfaction of the horse-holding chieftain, he and two others mounted, took the burdened animals in tow, and the small cavalcade filed off down the stream toward the apparent cul de sac at the lower end of the valley.

Ephraim Yeates was up in a twinkling, dragging us back from the cliff edge.

“Up with ye!” he cried.  “Now’s our chance to kill two pa’tridges with one stone!  If we can make out to get down into t’other valley in time to see how them varmints come out, we’ll know the way in.  More’n that, we can ambush ’em and so make sartain sure o’ five o’ the six hosses we’re a-going to need, come night.  But we’ve got to leg for it like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok!”

Thus the old borderer; and being only too eager to come to handgrips with the enemy, we were up and running faster than ever Joab’s messenger ran, long before the old man finished with his Scriptural simile.