Accustomed as they were to the sight, Content and his partner, excited by
their fears, fancied each dark and distant stump a savage; and they passed
no angle in the high and heavy fences without throwing a jealous glance to
see that some enemy did not lie stretched within its shadows.

Still no new motive for apprehension arose, during the brief period that
the two adventurers were employed in administering to the comfort of the
Puritan's steed. The task was ended, the carcass of the slaughtered
Straight-Horns had been secured, and Ruth was already urging her husband
to return, when their attention was drawn to the attitude and mien of
their companion.

"The man hath departed as he came," said Eben Dudley, who stood shaking
his head in open doubt, before an empty stall; "here is no beast, though
with these eyes did I see the half-wit bring hither a well-filled measure
of speckled oats, to feed the nag. He who favored us with his presence at
the supper and the thanksgiving, hath tired of his company before the hour
of rest had come."

"The horse is truly wanting," said Content: "the man must needs be in
exceeding haste, to have ridden into the forest as the night grew deepest,
and when the longest summer day would scarce bring a better hack than
that he rode to another Christian dwelling. There is reason for this
industry, but it is enough that it concerns us not. We will now seek our
rest, in the certainty that one watcheth our slumbers whose vigilance can
never fail."

Though man could not trust himself to sleep in that country without the
security of bars and bolts, we have already had occasion to say that
property was guarded with but little care. The stable-door was merely