The giant hunter smiled.  He had promised the Onondaga to awaken him at dawn, and he knew that Robert expected as much, but he would not keep his promise.  He would let nature hold sway; when it chose to awaken them it could, and meanwhile he would do nothing.  He moved just a little to make himself more comfortable and reclined patiently.

Willet was intensely grateful for the little curtain of evergreens.  Without it the sharp eyes of the warriors could detect them even in the side of the lofty cliff.  Only a few bushes stood between them and torture and death, but they stood there just the same.  Time passed slowly, and the morning remained as brilliant as ever.  He paid little attention to what was passing on the lake, but he listened with all the power of his hearing for anything that might happen on the cliff above them.  He knew that the warriors were far from giving up the chase, and he expected a sign there.  About two hours after sunrise it came.  He heard the cry of a wolf, and then a like cry replying, but he knew that the sounds came from the throats of warriors.  He pressed himself a little harder against the stony wall, and looked at his two young comrades.  Their souls still wandered in the pleasant land of dreams and their bodies took no interest in what was occurring here.  They did not stir.

In four or five minutes the two cries were repeated much nearer and the hunter fairly concentrated all his powers into the organ of hearing.  Faint voices, only whispers, floated down to him, and he knew that the warriors were ranging along the cliff just above them.  Leaning forward cautiously, he peeped above the veil of evergreens, and saw two dark faces gazing over the edge of the precipice.  A brief look was enough, then he drew back and waited.

CHAPTER IV

THE DARING ATTEMPT

Willet knew from their paint that the faces looking down were those of Huron warriors, but he was quite sure they had not seen anything, and that the men would soon pass on.  It was impossible even for the sharpest eyes to pick out the three behind the evergreen screen.  Nevertheless he put his rifle forward, ready for an instant shot, if needed, but remained absolutely still, waiting for them to make the next move.

His sensitive hearing brought down the faint voices again and once or twice the light crush of footsteps.  Evidently, the warriors were moving slowly along the edge of the cliff, talking as they went, and the hunter surmised that the three were the subject of their attention.  He imagined their chagrin at the way in which the chase had vanished, and he laughed softly to think that he and the lads lay so near their enemies, but invisible and so well hidden.

The voices became fainter and died away, the soft crush of footsteps came no more, and the world returned to all the seeming of peace, without any trace of cruelty in it; but Willet was not lured by such an easy promise into any rash act.  He knew the savages would come again, and that unbroken vigilance was the price of life.  Once more he settled himself into the easiest position and watched.  He had all the patience of the Indians themselves, to whom time mattered little, and since sitting there was the best thing to be done he was content to sit there.