events, leave me in peace.

"At last four of them lay down, and I knew by their snoring that they
were really unconscious of the present. Two of them still sat up and
kept talking at me, describing the horrors I was to go through. At
length one of those two lay down, and now only one old man remained
awake; I thought he would never cease talking, and smoking, and
tormenting me. On he talked; never have I seen a more hideous or
vicious old fellow. I tried in vain not to listen. However, at last
his voice grew thick, and more and more indistinct; his pipe went out,
and his head dropped on his breast.

"Not a moment was to be lost; I tugged and tugged at the thongs which
bound my wrists. My heart beat so quick and loud that I thought the
sound would awaken my captors. My struggles freed my wrists, and I soon
had my ankles free, but the tough, well-seasoned buffalo-hide rope round
my neck resisted all my efforts to loosen it. Daylight was approaching.
The noise I made, or my loud breathing, roused up the old man. I
thought all was lost. Placing my hands behind me, I pretended to be
dozing. He got up, stirred the fire, and then sat down again. Oh, how
anxiously I waited for him to go to sleep again! Once more his head
dropped on his breast, and he snored. That was the sweetest noise I had
heard for a long time.

"I had gnawed and tugged at the thong round my neck in vain; but I knew
that what a steady strain will not accomplish a sudden jerk may do. I
seized the thong with the grasp of despair, gave it two or three rapid
pulls, and to my joy it parted. I was free, but still I had many
dangers to encounter. A watchful dog or a sleepless Indian might
discover me. Treading with the caution I knew was so necessary, I
passed between the bodies of the sleeping red-skins and stepped out into
the open air. The cold restored my strength. I looked around on every
side. The stars were shining brightly above my head, and the lodges of
my enemies lay around in the dark shadow of the forest. The neighing of
a horse showed me where some of the steeds of the tribe were tethered.
I ran towards the spot. I had no time for selection. I threw myself on
the back of the first animal I found. The first faint streaks of dawn
were already appearing in the eastern sky. Not an instant had I to
lose. I should, I knew, be very speedily pursued. I scarcely had time
to consider in which direction I should go. The thong which