“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 hatred.  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.