"What do you want of us?" asked he.
"Nothing," replied Henry, "except to help you."
Carpenter looked at them with a kind of sad pathos.
"You don't belong here in Wyoming," he said, "and there's nothing
to make you stick to us. What are you meaning to do?"
"We will go with you wherever you intend to go," replied Henry;
"do fighting for you if you need it, and hunt game for you, which
you are certain to need."
The weather-beaten face of the farmer worked.
"I thought God had clean deserted us," he said, "but I'm ready to
take it back. I reckon that he has sent you five to help me with
all these women and little ones."
It occurred to Henry that perhaps God, indeed, had sent them for
this very purpose, but he replied simply:
"You lead on, and we'll stay in the rear and on the sides to
watch for the Indians. Draw into the woods, where we'll be
hidden."
Carpenter, obscure hero, shouldered his rifle again, and led on
toward the woods. The long line of women and children followed.
Some of the women carried in their arms children too small to
walk. Yet they were more hopeful now when they saw that the five
were friends. These lithe, active frontiersmen, so quick, so
skillful, and so helpful, raised their courage.
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