d. The muzzle of his rifle began
to slide forward, but Willet put out a detaining hand.

"No, Robert, lad," he said. "He deserves it, but his time hasn't come
yet. Besides your shot would bring the whole crowd up after us."

"And he belongs to me," added Tayoga. "When he falls it is to be by my
hand."

"Yes, he belongs to you, Tayoga," said Willet "Now they've concluded
that we continued toward the south, and they're going on that way."

As they felt the need of the utmost caution they spent the remainder
of the day and the next night on the crest. Robert kept the late
watch, and he saw the dawn come, red and misty, a huge sun shining
over the eastern mountains, but shedding little warmth. He was hopeful
that Tandakora and his warriors had passed on far into the south, but
he heard a distant cry rising in the clear air east of the peak and
then a reply to the west. His heart stood still for a moment. He
knew that they were the whoops of the savages and he felt that they
signified a discovery. Perhaps chance had disclosed their trail. He
listened with great intentness, but the shouts did not come again.
Nevertheless the omen was bad.

He awoke Willet and the Onondaga, who had been sleeping soundly,
and told them what had happened, both agreeing that the shouts were
charged with import.

"I think it likely that we will be attacked," said the hunter. "Now we
must take another look at our position."

The peak, luckily for them, was precipitous, and its crest did not
cover an area of more than twenty or thirty square yards. On the three
sides the ascent was so steep that a man could not climb up except
with extreme difficulty, but on the fourth, by which they had come,
the slope was more gradual. The gentle climb faced the east, and it
was here that the hunter and Robert watched, while Tayoga, for the
sake of utmost precaution, kept an eye on the steep sides.

Knowing that it was wise to economize and even to increase their
strength, they ate abundantly of the bear steaks, afterward craving
water, which they were forced to do without--the one great flaw in
their position, since the warriors might hold them there to perish of
thirst.

Robert soon forgot the desire for water in the tenseness of watching
and waiting. But even the anxiety and the peril to his life did not
keep him from noticing the singularity of his situation, upon the
slender peak of a high mountain far in the wilderness. The sun, full
of splendor