The warriors received him with deference, indicating clearly to Tayoga that they were under his authority, but without making any reply to their salutation he strode up to the prisoner, and, folding his arms across his mighty breast, regarded him, smiling cruelly.  The Onondaga did not see the smile, but he knew it was there.  The man would not be Tandakora if it were not.  In that savage heart, the chivalry that so often marked the Indians of the higher type found no place.

Grosvenor, worn to the bone and dazed by the extraordinary and fearful situation in which he found himself, nevertheless straightened up anew, and gave back defiantly the stare of the gigantic and sinister figure that confronted him.  Then Tayoga saw Tandakora raise his hand and strike the young Englishman a heavy blow in the face.  Grosvenor fell, but sprang up instantly and rushed at the Ojibway, only to find himself before the point of a knife.

The young officer stood still a few minutes, then turned with dignity and sat down once more.  Tayoga knew and appreciated his feelings.  He had suffered exactly the same humiliation from Tandakora himself, and he meant, with all his soul, that some day the debt should be paid in full.  Now in a vicarious way he took upon himself Grosvenor’s debt also.  The prisoner did not have experience in the woods, his great merits lay elsewhere, but he was the friend of Robert, therefore of Tayoga, and the Onondaga felt it only right that he should pay for both.

Tandakora sat down, a warrior handed him a huge piece of deer meat, and he began to eat.  All the others, interrupted for a few minutes by the arrival of the chief, resumed the same pleasant occupation.  Tayoga deciding that he had seen enough, began to climb down with great care.  The descent was harder than the ascent, but he reached the niche, without noise, and the sight of him was very welcome to Robert and the hunter who had begun to worry over his absence, which was much longer than they had expected.

“Did you see the warriors, Tayoga?” asked young Lennox.

“I saw them, Dagaeoga.  They are at the top of the cliff, only two or three hundred yards away; they have a good fire, and they are eating the game they killed in the day.”

“And there is no chance for us to pass?”

“None to-night, Dagaeoga.  Nor would we pass if we could.”

“Why not?  I see no reason for our staying here save that we have to do it.”

“One is there, Dagaeoga, whom we cannot leave a prisoner in their hands.”

“Who?  It’s not Black Rifle!  Nor Rogers, the ranger!  They would never let themselves be taken!”

“No, Dagaeoga, it is neither of those.  But while I watched at the cliff’s rim I saw the warriors bring in that young Englishman, Grosvenor, whom you know and like so well.”

“What!  Grosvenor!  What could he have been doing in this forest!”

“That, I know not, Dagaeoga, save that he has been getting himself captured; how, I know not either, but I saw him brought in a prisoner.  Tandakora came, while I watched, and smote the captive heavily in the face with his hand.  That debt I take upon myself, in addition to my own.”