There isn't any chance of our reaching the
block-house except by the trail, and that is on
the other side."

" But what about the two that wint across
a little while ago ?"

" We must look out for them, and for the
others, too; we are not through with them

yet."

" I agree with ye now."



THE DETOUE. 148



CHAPTER XVL

THE DETOUR.
THERE could be no denying that extra-
ordinary fortune had attended the boys,
but they were too prudent to count on a con-
tinuance of what might be called the run of
good luck, except by the utmost circumspec-
tion on their part.
They were together once more, with their
guns, ammunition and accoutrements intact,
and without either having suffered any harm.
Nothing would have been easier for them than
to cross the ravine by the fallen tree, which
had answered for a foot-bridge more than once
that evening, and in doing so it was not prob-
able that they would have run greater risk
than they had repeatedly incurred during the
preceding few hours; but the necessity for such
risk did not exist, and consequently they did
not take it. Wharton suspected the truth. The



144 BLAZIKG ABBOW.
Shawanoes, knowing that the lads, or at least
one of them, was in the vicinity, were in
ambush along the trail, with the expectation
that they would walk into the trap, which
is exactly what they would have done had
they taken the path opposite to where they
were standing while holding their conversa-
tion.
The evident and simple course for them to
follow was to make a detour, by which they
would return to the trail at a point beyond
where the red men were awaiting them.
