ank above her, that she had quite escaped their notice. Fortunately,
Indiana gave the two boys a signal to conceal themselves when she saw
them enter the ravine; and effectually hidden among the thick grey
mossy trunks of the cedars at the lake shore, they remained secure from
molestation, while the Indian girl dropped noiselessly down among the
tangled thicket of wild vines and brushwood, which she drew cautiously
over her, and closed her eyes, lest, as she naively remarked, their
glitter should be seen and betray her to her enemies.

It was a moment of intense anxiety to our poor wanderers, whose terrors
were more excited on behalf of the young Mohawk than for themselves, and
they congratulated her on her escape with affectionate warmth.

"Are my white brothers afraid to die?" was the young squaw's
half-scornful reply. "Indiana is the daughter of a brave; she fears not
to die?"

The latter end of September, and the first week in October, had been
stormy and even cold. The rainy season, however, was now over; the
nights were often illuminated by the Aurora borealis, which might be
seen forming an arch of soft and lovely brightness over the lake, to the
north and north-eastern portions of the horizon, or shooting upwards,
in ever-varying shafts of greenish light, now hiding, now revealing the
stars, which shone with softened radiance through the silvery veil
that dimmed their beauty. Sometimes for many nights together the same
appearance might be seen, and was usually the forerunner of frosty
weather, though occasionally it was the precursor of cold winds, and
heavy rains.

The Indian girl regarded it with superstitious feelings, but whether as
an omen for good or ill, she would not tell. On all matters connected
with her religions notions she was shy and reserved, though occasionally
she unconsciously revealed them. Thus the warnings of death or
misfortunes were revealed to her by certain ominous sounds in the woods,
the appearance of strange birds or animals, or the meanings of others.
The screeching of the owl, the bleating of the doe, or barking of the
fox, were evil auguries, while the flight of the eagle and the croaking
of the raven were omens of good. She put faith in dreams, and would
foretel good or evil fortune from them; she could read the morning and
evening clouds, and knew from various appearances of the sky, or
the coming or departing of certain birds or insects, changes in the
atmosphere. Her ear wa