“It can’t be possible that they’re aiming it at us,” said the hunter, thoughtfully.  “They don’t know of our presence here, and if they did we’ve too small a party for such big preparations.”

“Perhaps a troop of Pennsylvanians are marching westward,” said Tayoga, “and the French and their allies are laying a trap for them.”

“Then,” said Robert, “there is but one thing for us to do.  We must warn our friends and save them from the snare.”

“Of course,” said Willet, “but we don’t know where they are, and meanwhile we’d better wait an hour or two.  Perhaps something will happen that will help us to locate them.”

Robert and Tayoga nodded and the three remained silent while the night came.  The blazing red in the west faded rapidly and darkness swept down over the wilderness.  The three, each leaning against his tree, did not move but kept their rifles across their knees ready at once for possible use.  Tayoga had fastened his bow over his back by the side of his quiver, and their packs were adjusted also.

Robert was anxious not so much for himself as for the unknown others who were marching through the wilderness, and for whom the French and Indians were laying an ambush.  It had been put forward first as a suggestion, but it quickly became a conviction with him, and he felt that his comrades and he must act as if it were a certainty.  But no sound that would tell them which way to go came out of this black forest, and they remained silent, waiting for the word.

The night thickened and they were still uncertain what to do.  Robert made a silent prayer to the God of the white man, the Manitou of the red man, for a sign, but none came, and infected strongly as he was with the Indian philosophy and religion, he felt that it must be due to some lack of virtue in himself.  He searched his memory, but he could not discover in what particular he had erred, and he was forced to continue his anxious waiting, until the stars should choose to fight for him.

Tayoga too was troubled, his mind in its own way being as active as Robert’s.  He knew all the spirits of earth, air and water were abroad, but he hoped at least one of them would look upon him with favor, and give him a warning.  He sought Tododaho’s star in the heavens, but the clouds were too thick, and, eye failing, he relied upon his ear for the signal which he and his young white comrade sought so earnestly.

If Tayoga had erred either in omission or commission then the spirits that hovered about him forgave him, as when the night was thickest they gave the sign.  It was but the faint fall of a foot, and, at first, he thought a bear or a deer had made it, but at the fourth or fifth fall he knew that it was a human footstep and he whispered to his comrades: 

“Some one comes!”

As if by preconcerted signal the three arose and crept silently into the dense underbrush, where they crouched, their rifles thrust forward.