e footsteps of Tandakora in the very center of it. I think they will
go northwest a while, and then come back toward the main trail, hoping
to trap any one who may be rash enough to follow Sharp Sword. But, if
the Great Bear and Dagaeoga wish it, we will pursue Tandakora himself
and ambush him when he is expecting to ambush others."

The dark eyes of the Onondaga gleamed.

"I can see, Tayoga, that you're hoping for a chance to settle that score
between you and the Ojibway," said the hunter. "Maybe you'll get it this
time, and maybe you won't, but I'm willing to take the trail after him,
and so is Robert here. We may stop a lot of mischief."

It was then about two o'clock in the afternoon, and, as Tayoga said that
Tandakora's trail was not more than a few hours old, they pushed on
rapidly, hoping to stalk his camp that very night. The traces soon
curved back toward St. Luc's and they knew they were right in their
surmise that an ambush was being laid by the Ojibway. He and his
warriors would halt in the dense bush beside the great trail and shoot
down any who followed.

"We'll shatter his innocent little plan," said Willet, his spirits
mounting at the prospect.

"Tandakora will not build a fire to-night," said Tayoga. "He will wait
in the darkness beside Sharp Sword's path, hoping that some one will
come. He will lie in the forest like a panther waiting to spring on its
prey."

"And we'll just disturb that panther a little," said Robert,
appreciating the merit of their enterprise, which now seemed to all
three a kind of great game.

"Aye, we'll make Tandakora think all the spirits of earth and air are
after him," said Willet.

They now moved with great caution as the trail was growing quite fresh.

"We will soon be back to Sharp Sword's line of march," said Tayoga, "and
I think we will find Tandakora and his warriors lying in the bushes not
more than a mile ahead."

They redoubled their caution, and, when they approached a dense thicket,
Robert and Willet lay down and Tayoga went on, creeping on hands and
knees. In a half hour he came back and said that Tandakora and his band
were in the thicket watching the great trail left by St. Luc.

"The Ojibway does not dream that he himself is being watched," said the
Onondaga, "and now I think we would better eat a little food from our
knapsacks and wait until the dark night that is promised has fully
come."

Tayoga's report was wholly true. Tandakora and twenty fi