Page:Mistress Madcap (1937).pdf/196

 "Could it be Great Bear?" General Washington turned to one of his staff who had arrived beside them.

"But he would have waited to salute Your Excellency," answered the other shrewdly.

"Aye, true! This Indian, methinks, seemed not overly anxious to be seen." General Washington sat with his head bowed in anxious thought. So many times during those long, hard years of warfare must he have sat thus, in sad and troubled and silent debate, for always the burden of decision rested upon his shoulders!

At last, as his horse began to dance impatiently, he looked up.

"Forward!" he ordered. And the dreary climb recommenced.

But now Mehitable rode with every sense alert, her wide gaze searching out the depths of the forest. Nothing moved, however. There was no sign of ambush by beasts or men. Not until they had left the trees behind and were rounding the path approaching the base of a great cliff of trap rock did she relax, though, and then it was but a momentary relaxation. For soon her keen country-bred ears caught an odd sound, a grinding, splintering noise that just at first she was unable to define!

But when she did she gave a scream of terror and whirled her horse.

"Back! Back! The rocks. Down the trail!"

The whole party, as one man, wheeled in the opposite direction and fled pell-mell back down the insecure path. They were none too quick, for a few seconds later there