I forgot all the schemes that had just got into my wise head, of slipping quietly down, and taking off one of the empty birch canoes, which you must own would have been a glorious thing for us; but when I heard the noise these wild wretches raised.

I darted off, and ran as if the whole set were at my heels.

I think I just saved my scalp." And Louis put his hand to his head, and tugged his thick black curls, as if to ascertain that they were still safe from the scalping knives of his Indian enemies.
"And now, Hec, what is to be done?
We must hide ourselves from the Indians; they will kill us, or take us away with them if they find us." "Let us go home and talk over our plans with Cathy." "Yes; for I have heard my father say two heads are better than one, and so three of course must be still better than two." "Why," said Hector, laughing, "it depends upon the stock of practical wisdom in the heads, for two fools, you know, Louis, will hardly form one rational plan." Various were the schemes devised for their security.

Hector proposed pulling down the shanty, and dispersing the logs, so as to leave no trace of the little dwelling; but to this neither his cousin nor his sister would agree.

To pull down the new house that had cost them so much labour, and which had proved such a comfort to them, they could not endure even in idea.
"Let us put out the fire, and hide ourselves in the big ravine below Mount Ararat, dig a cave in one of the hills, and convey our house-hold goods thither." Such was Louis's plan.
"The ravines would be searched directly," suggested Hector; "besides, the Indians know they are famous coverts for deer and game of all sorts; they might chance to pop upon us, and catch us like woodchucks in a burrow." "Yes, and burn us," said Catharine, with a shudder.