s
before.

Westward stretched forest, lofty in the valley, high on the slopes and
everywhere dense. He plunged into it, and then looked back. Tayoga and
Willet were already gone from his sight, seeking what he sought. Their
experience in the wilderness was greater than his, and they were
superior to him in trailing, but he was very hopeful that it would be
his good fortune to find the game they needed so badly, the game they
must have soon, in truth, or perish.

The valley was deep in slush and mire, and the water soaked through
his leggings and moccasins again, but he paid no attention to it now.
His new courage and strength lasted. Glancing up at the heavens he
beheld a little rift in the western clouds. A bar of light was
let through, and his mind, so imaginative, so susceptible to the
influences of earth and air, at once saw it as an omen. It was a
pillar of fire to him, and his faith was confirmed.

"Areskoui is turning back his face, and he smiles upon us," he said to
himself. Then looking carefully to his rifle, he held it ready for an
instant shot.

He came to the westward edge of the valley, and found the slope before
him gentle but rocky. He paused there a while in indecision, and,
then glancing up again at the bar of light that had grown broader, he
murmured, so much had he imbibed the religion and philosophy of the
Iroquois:

"O Areskoui, direct me which way to go."

The reply came, almost like a whisper in his ear:

"Try the rocks."

It always seemed to him that it was a real whisper, not his own mind
prompting him, and he walked boldly among the rocks which stretched
for a long distance along the slopes. Then, or for the time, at least,
he felt sure that a powerful hand was directing him. He saw tracks in
the soft soil between the strong uplifts and he believed that they
were fresh. Hollows were numerous there, and game of a certain kind
would seek them in bitter weather.

His heart began to pound hard, too heavily, in fact, for his weakened
frame, and he was compelled to stop and steady himself. Then he
resumed the hunt once more, looking here and there between the rocky
uplifts and in the deep depressions. He lost the tracks and then
he found them, apparently fresher than ever. Would he take what he
sought? Was the face of Areskoui still inclining toward him? He looked
up and the bar of light was steadily growing broader and longer. The
smile of the Sun God was deeper, and his doubts went aw