Haukemah arose.

"Let these remind you always that my heart is good," said he. "I may
tell my young men that you go?"

"Yes. We are grateful for these."

"Old fellow's a pretty decent sort," remarked Dick, after Haukemah had
stalked away.

"There couldn't anything have happened better for us!" cried Sam. "Here
I was wondering how we could get away. It wouldn't do to travel with
them much longer, and it wouldn't do to quit them without a good reason.
I'm mighty relieved to get shut of them. The best way over into the
Kabinakágam is by way of a little creek the Injuns call the
Mattawishguia, and that ought to be a few hours ahead of us now." He
might have added that all these annoyances, which he was so carefully
discounting, had sprung from Dick's thoughtlessness; but he was silent,
sure of the young man's value when the field of his usefulness should be
reached.




CHAPTER NINE


Dick Herron and Sam Bolton sat on the trunk of a fallen tree. It was dim
morning. Through the haze that shrouded the river figures moved.