He wanted to get to them as quickly as he could.
The rush carried them beyond the main body of fugitives, though not out of danger, for the Iroquois were pursuing hard; but soon Omas loosened his grip and dropped the arm of the lad.

They were far enough removed from the swirl to exchange words.
"Where moder--where Alice ?", asked the Delaware, as if he had no concern for his own child.
"At Forty Fort." "Linna with them ?" "Yes; they are together with the other folks." "Go dere--tell cross riber--make haste to Del'mware." This command meant that the little party should hurry to the eastern side of the Susquehanna, and start for the settlements on the Upper Delaware.

The nearest town was Stroudsburg, sixty miles distant, and the way led through a dismal forest.
The words of Omas showed, too, that he knew what was coming.

Though the British Colonel Butler might accept the surrender and strive to give fair treatment to the prisoners, he would find it hard to restrain the Tories and Indians.
All that could be done was for the fugitives to flee, without an hour's delay.

They were already flocking to the river in the effort to reach the other side.