He paused, his eyes still closed, and stood tense and erect, the north wind blowing on his face.  A shiver ran through Robert, not a shiver of fear, but a shiver caused by the mysterious and the unknown.  His own eyes were open, and he gazed steadily into the northern heavens.  The occult quality in the air deepened, and now his nerves began to tingle.  His soul thrilled with a coming event.  Suddenly the deep, leaden clouds parted for a few moments, and in the clear space between he could have sworn that he saw a great dancing star, from which a mighty, benevolent face looked down upon them.

“I saw him!  I saw him!” he exclaimed in excitement.  “It was Tododaho himself!”

“I did not see him with my eyes, but I saw him with my soul,” said the Onondaga, opening his eyes, “and he whispered to me that his favor was with us.  We cannot fail in what we wish to do.”

“Look in the next valley, Tayoga.  What do you behold now?”

“It is the bears, Dagaeoga.  They come to their long winter sleep.”

Rolling figures, enlarged and fantastic, emerged from the mist.  Robert saw great, red eyes, sharp teeth and claws, and yet he felt neither fear nor hostility.  Tayoga’s statement that they were bears, into which the souls of great warriors had gone, was strong in his mind, and he believed.  They looked up at him, but they did not pause, moving on to the little caves.

“They see us,” he said.

“So they do,” said Tayoga, “but they do not fear us.  The spirits of mighty warriors look out of their eyes at us, and knowing that they were once as we are they know also that we will not harm them.”

“Have you ever seen the like of this before, Tayoga?”

“No!  But a few of the old men of the Hodenosaunee have told of their grandfathers who have seen it.  I think it is a mark of favor to us that we are permitted to behold such a sight.  Now I am sure Tododaho has looked upon us with great approval.  Lo, Dagaeoga, more of them come out of the mist!  Before morning every cave, save those in our own little corner of the valley, will be filled.  All of them gaze up at us, recognize us as friends and pass on.  It is a wonderful sight, Dagaeoga, and we shall never look upon its like again.”

“No,” said Robert, as the extraordinary thrill ran through him once more.  “Now they have gone into their caves, and I believe with you, Tayoga, that the souls of great warriors truly inhabit the bodies of the bears.”

“And since they are snugly in their homes, ready for the long winter sleep, lo! the great snow comes, Dagaeoga!”

A heavy flake fell on Robert’s upturned face, and then another and another.  The circling clouds, thick and leaden, were beginning to pour down their burden, and the two retreated swiftly to their own dry and well furnished cave.  Then they rolled the great stones before the door, and Tayoga said: 

“Now, we will imitate our friends, the bears, and take a long winter sleep.”