A figure was dimly seen in a small, moonlit s.p.a.ce in front, advancing upon him in a crouching posture. Fred fastened his eyes on the shadowy outlines, and he grasped his gun with both hands.

Just then the half-bent man straightened up, and, with a relief that was delightful, Fred recognized the form of Gravity Gimp, who had been hunting and signaling so industriously for the last fifteen minutes.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Lieutenant G.o.dfrey and Gravity Gimp shook hands warmly, for they were overjoyed to meet in this manner, after their enforced parting a brief while before.

"It's a wonder that your signaling did not bring some of the Senecas to you," said the young officer.

"Dat's jist what it done."

"And how did you manage it?"

"When dey come I left, and I took such a path dat if dey tried to foller, dey run agin de trees, or fell ober de rocks and broke dar necks."

"Well, Gravity, you heard my gun, and I'll tell you how it was."

Thereupon the lieutenant gave the particulars of the taking off of the vengeful warrior known as Black Turtle, the Seneca, the African listening, meanwhile, with open mouth and staring eyes.

"Dat's wery cheerin'," said he. "Some ob dem Senekers am so stupid dat you've got to knock dere heads off afore dey knows anything; but, leftenant, I's got 'portant news to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Dar's somebody out in de woods dat ain't Injuns."

"Explain what you mean?" said G.o.dfrey, with a thrill of hope.

"Afore you fired dat gun, and when eberyting was still, I heerd somebody talking out dare; dey kind ob whistled, like I's been doing, den I heerd whispers, and den de sound ob feet."

This was stirring news, indeed, to Fred. If it so proved that these strangers were white men, he might be able to rally them to the attack of Golcher and his Indian allies.

But, alas! if they should prove to be that portion of the band which withdrew a short time previous, their presence would settle forever all prospects of a rescue.

"How far off are they?" he asked.

"Only a short distance; foller me."

"Don't forget, Gravity," said the lieutenant, as he started with him, "that we're likely to run afoul of some of the Senecas, who are out hunting for me."

"I understand dat."

A few minutes later the African came to a stop, and said, in a husky undertone:

"Dis am de spot."

It was hard to imagine how the servant could identify it, for it was in the shadow of the trees, though a small, natural clearing was in sight, that itself being the guiding landmark.

But nothing was seen or heard that could justify the declaration of Gravity, who stood intently listening.

"I don't hear nuffin'," said he, a moment later. "I guess dey hab gone to sleep, and am snorin'. You ain't skeered, be you, lieutenant?"

"What is there to scare us?" asked Fred.

"I don't know ob nuffin, but I thought mebbe you knowed."

Just then Gimp got down on the ground, and pressed his ear to the earth.

Immediately he called out:

"I hear footsteps--plain as day--jes' listen!"

Fred G.o.dfrey knelt, and, Indian-like, touched his ear to the ground. As he did so, he caught sounds as if made by the feet of persons moving near them.

"I believe they are white men--G.o.d grant they are! Don't make any noise and we will soon find out."

Although he had little experience as a woodman, Fred believed, from the peculiarity of the slight noises that reached his ear, that they were those of his own race.

As a quick way to settle it, though it was an act of imprudence, he called out, in a guarded voice:

"Halloa there, friends!"

"Halloa; are you white?"

"Yes--"

"What's de use ob lyin' so shamefully as dat?" broke in Gimp; "if I'm white den you're black."

"I declare, Gravity, I forgot all about it!" laughed the lieutenant, and then, raising his voice, he said:

"We are one black and one white, fugitives from Wyoming, and hunting for friends."

"That hits us," was the response; and the next moment, to the surprise and delight of G.o.dfrey, seven men came to view in the small moonlit clearing, and waited for him to advance and show himself.

He lost no time in doing so, and, as briefly as possible, explained how it was he and the African were there, and how necessary it was that help should be immediately sent their friends, in the custody of Jake Golcher, the Tory, and his Senecas.

"Now you're shouting," was the hearty response of the leader of the seven, who announced his name as d.i.c.k Durkee; "that's what we're here for, though we're a little behind time."

"Where did you come from?"

"I live pretty well back in the country toward Stroudsburg, and I heered two days ago that trouble was coming into Wyoming Valley. You see I got the matter so straight from a friendly Indian that I knowed there could be no mistake. It worried me so that I couldn't sleep, and I told my wife that I was bound to take a hand in it. So I scoured through the country and got my six friends, all true and tried, and set out. We got here only a little while ago, when things looked so squally that I concluded to stop and find out something before going furder; that's the way it stands."

"Then you will help our friends out of their trouble?"

"That's just what we come for, and we don't propose to back out now."