he, too, knowing that Tayoga
would tell all he intended to tell without urging.

"They do not know we are here, I do not think they dream of our
presence," continued the Onondaga, "Areskoui smiles on us now, and
Tododaho on his star, which we cannot see by day, is watching over us.
Their feet will not bring them this way."

"Then you wouldn't suggest our taking to flight?" said Willet. "You
would favor hiding here in peace?"

"Even so. It will please us some day to remember that we rested and
slept almost within hearing of our enemies, and yet they did not take
us."

"That's grim humor, Tayoga, but if it's the way you feel, Robert and I
are with you."

Later in the afternoon they saw smoke rising beyond the ridge and
they knew the warriors had built a great fire before which they were
probably lying and gorging themselves, after their fashion when they
had plenty of food, and little else to do. Yet the three remained
defiantly all that day and all through the following night. The next
morning, with ample supplies in their packs, they turned their faces
southward, and cautiously climbed the ridge in that direction, once
more passing into the region of the peaks. To their surprise they
struck several comparatively fresh trails in the passes, and they were
soon forced to the conclusion that the hostile forces were still all
about them. Near midday they stopped in a narrow gorge between high
peaks and listened to calls of the inhabitants of the forest, the
faint howls of wolves, and once or twice the yapping of a fox.

"The warriors signaling to one another!" said Willet.

"It is so," said Tayoga. "I think they have noticed our tracks in
the earth, too slight, perhaps, to tell who we are, but they will
undertake to see."

"I hear the call of a moose directly ahead," said Robert, "although I
know it is no moose that makes it. Our way there is cut off."

"And there is the howl of the wolf behind us," said Tayoga. "We cannot
go back."

"Then," said Robert, "I suppose we must climb the mountain. It's lucky
we've got our strength again."

They scaled a lofty summit once more, fortunately being able to climb
among rocks, where they left no trail, and, crouched at the crest in
dense bushes, they saw two bands meet in the valley below, evidently
searching for the fugitives. There was no white man among them, but
Robert knew a gigantic figure to be that of Tandakora, seeking them
with the most intense and bitter hatre