Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/229

Rh David at length had to flee or be drowned, and so he fled, laughing, around the tree and  into the thicket that lay beyond, pursued by  the youngest of the three women who, finding  her quarry escaping, sent the contents of her  kettle after him and gave up the chase. Shivering a little, for the evening was cooling with the descent of the sun, David paused to make  certain that the squaws had withdrawn. Although he could not see them through the leaves, he heard their guttural laughter  diminish as they plodded off up the gentle  slope toward the lodges, and was on the point  of emerging from his sanctuary and following when a sudden thought bade him pause.

Unintentionally he had passed between the watchers and so far none had challenged. It might be that by remaining where he was  until darkness he could get away unseen. In the meanwhile if any sought him he could  pretend slumber or illness as his reason for  not returning. Crouching, he peered between the lower branches of the bushes. At one side, some twenty yards away, the picket who had  watched the proceedings at the spring had  turned and was again squatting motionless  and staring into the forest. On the other side the next picket was not visible, but David