You know that the home of the Ripleys was on the eastern shore,
which they left that same morning. They had crossed over in a large
flatboat with a number of other families, so that now they were
near their own home again. Omas had guided the canoe, too, so they
landed not far from the little structure.
"Omas," said the mother, "I understand you wish us to go to the
Delaware."
"Yes," he replied, "Iroquois won't hurt you there--must go."
"We haven't a particle of food with us; Ben has his gun and may
have a chance to shoot some game on the way--more than likely, he
will have no chance at all; it will take us several days to reach
Stroudsburg, which, I believe, is the nearest point. Don't you think
it best that we should stop at the house and get what food we can?"
"Yes, we do dat; come 'long; not great time."
There could be no safer guide than the Delaware, when his race were
such complete masters of the situation; though there was risk that
a patriot hiding somewhere in the neighborhood might take a shot
at him, under the belief that he meant harm to the captives.
The humble log structure was found just as it was left that morning.
If any of the marauding bands of Indians paid it a visit, they did
not linger after seeing it was tenantless.
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