"Away, away," cried the Indian boy. "Follow me;" and as the savages
behind surrounded the empty tents with their hellish cries, he led
the rescued ones at full speed down the valley, around the northern
edge of Hickory Ridge, and out toward the Chequered Hills. After half
an hour's ride, he drew bridle and the company gathered about him.
Captain Stephens was the first to speak.

"Brave lad, we owe our liberty to you; yet wherefore, I am sure, I
cannot tell."

But the boy only raised his hand, as if imposing silence upon that
point.

"You are by no means safe from the Indians yet. They will scour the
plains, and on this untrodden prairie you cannot conceal your trail.
My advice is that you make no delay, but push on to Fort Pitt, which
is only about twelve miles distant."

"Of all points this is the one that I should most desire to be at,"
responded Stephens; "but I do not know that I can find Pitt."

One of the number had been at the Fort a few years before; but he
could not make it again from this unknown part of the prairie.

"Follow me, then," answered the unknown. "I shall take you through
the hills by a short route to the river. Then you need but to follow
the bank to find the fort;" and as he spoke he once more dashed his
heels into his horse's flanks and set off towards the center of the