Newton.
"It is," replied Shif'less Sol, "an' Henry an' Paul are in it,
waitin' fur us. We're thinkin', Mrs. Newton, that the roughest
part of your trip is over."
In another five minutes all were in the boat, which was a really
fine one, and they were delighted. Mary Newton for the first
time broke down and wept, and no one disturbed her. The five
spread the blankets on the bottom of the boat, where the children
soon went to sleep once more, and Tom Ross and Shif'less Sol took
the oars.
"Back in a boat ag'in," said the shiftless one exultantly.
"Makes me feel like old times. My fav'rite mode o' travelin'
when Jim Hart, 'stead o' me, is at the oars."
"Which is most o' the time," said Long Jim.
It was indeed a wonderful change to these people worn by the
wilderness. They lay at ease now, while two pairs of powerful
arms, with scarcely an effort, propelled the boat along the
stream. The woman herself lay down on the blankets and fell
asleep with the children. Henry at the prow, Tom Ross at the
stern, and Paul amidships watched in silence, but with their
rifles across their knees. They knew that the danger was far
from over. Other Indians were likely to use this stream, unknown
to them, as a highway, and those who survived of their original
captors could pick up their trail by daylight.
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