“And how long does thee think it will keep open?  Friend, I tell thee, thee is surrounded by Injuns.  On the south, they lie at the Ford; on the west, is the river rolling along in a flood; and at the east, are the roads full of Shawnees on the scout.  Verily, friend, there is but little comfort to think of proceeding in any direction, even to the north, where there are five murdering creatures full before us.  But this is my thought, and, I rather think, it is Peter’s:  if we go to the north, we know pretty much all the evil that lies before us, and how to avoid it; whereas, by turning in either of the other quarters, we go into danger blindfold.”

“And how shall we avoid these five villains before us?” asked Roland, anxiously.

“By keeping them before us,” replied Nathan; “that is, friend, by following them, until such time as they turn where thee turned before them, (and, I warrant me, the evil creatures will turn wheresoever thee trail does); when we, if we have good luck, may slip quietly forward, and leave them, to follow us, after first taking the full swing of all thee roundabout vagaries.”

“Take your own course,” said Roland; “it may be the best.  We can, at the worst, but stumble upon these five; and then (granting that you can, in the meanwhile, bear the females off), I will answer for keeping two or three of the villains busy.  Take your own course,” he repeated; “the night is darkening around us; we must do something.”

“Thee says the truth,” cried Nathan.  “As for stumbling unawares on the five evil persons thee is in dread of, trust Peter for that; thee shall soon see what a friend thee has in little dog Peter.  Truly, for a peaceful man like me, it is needful I should have some one to tell me when dangerous persons are nigh.”

With these words, which were uttered with a good countenance, showing how much his confidence in the apparently insignificant Peter preserved him from the fears natural to his character and situation, the man of peace proceeded to marshal the company in a line, directing them to follow him in that order, and earnestly impressing upon all the necessity of preserving strict silence upon the march.  This being done, he boldly strode forwards, taking a post at least two hundred paces in advance of the others, at which distance, as he gave Roland to understand, he desired the party to follow, as was the more necessary, since their being mounted rendered them the more liable to be observed by distant enemies.  “If thee sees me wave my hand above my head,” were his last instructions to the young soldier, who began to be well pleased with his readiness and forecast, “bring thee people to a halt; if thee sees me drop upon the ground, lead them under the nearest cover, and keep them quiet; for thee may then be certain there is mischief, or mischievous people nigh at hand.  But verily, friend, with Peter’s help, we will circumvent them all.”