“The danger has passed,” he said.  “Now we’ll land, put on our clothes and become respectable.”

CHAPTER V

THE MOHAWK CHIEF

The canoe was passing between low shores, and they landed on the left bank, lifting out of the water the little vessel that had served them so well, and carrying it to a point some distance in the bushes.  There they sat down beside it a while and drew long, deep and panting breaths.

“I don’t want to repeat that experience soon,” said Robert.  “I think every muscle and bone in me is aching.”

“So do mine,” said Willet, “but they ache in a good cause, and what’s of more importance just now a successful one too.  Having left no trail the Indians won’t be able to follow us, and we can rest here a long time, which compels me to tell you again to put on your clothes and become respectable.”

They were quite dry now, and they dressed.  They also saw that their arms and ammunition were in order, and after Willet had scouted the country a bit, seeing that no human-being was near, they ate breakfast of the deer meat and felt thankful.

“The aches are leaving me,” said Willet, “and in another half-hour I’ll be the man I was yesterday.  Not I’ll be a better man.  I’ve been in danger lots of times and always there’s a wonderful feeling of happiness when I get out of it.”

“That is, risk goes before real rest,” said Robert.

“That’s about the way to put it, and escaping as we’ve just done from a siege, this dawn is about the finest I’ve ever seen.  Isn’t that a big and glorious sun over there?  I suppose it’s the same sun I’ve been looking at for years, but it seems to me that it has a new and uncommonly splendid coat of gilding this morning.”

“I think it was put on to celebrate our successful flight,” said Robert.  “It’s not only a splendid sun, Dave, but it’s an uncommonly friendly one too.  I can look it squarely in the eye for just a second and it fairly beams on me.”

“My brothers are right,” said Tayoga gravely.  “If it had not been the will of Manitou for us to escape from the trap that had been set for us the sun rising newly behind the mountains would not smile upon us.”

“I take that as allegorical,” said Robert.  “We see with our souls, and our eyes are merely the mirrors through which we look.  Seeing, or at least the color of it, is a state of mind.”

Tayoga followed him perfectly and nodded.

“You are getting too deep,” interrupted the hunter.  “Let’s be satisfied with our escape.  Here, each of you take another piece of venison.  I’m glad you still have your bow and arrows, Tayoga, because it won’t be long before we’ll have to begin looking for another deer.”

“The woods swarm with game.  It will not be difficult to find one,” said Tayoga.

“But for the present I think we’d better lie close.  Of course the chief danger of attack from those savages has passed, but we’re some distance from Canada, and it’s still doubtful ground.  Another wandering band may run upon us and that Ojibway, Tandakora, will never quit hunting us, until a bullet stops him.  He has a terrible attack of the scalp fever.  We want to make good time on our journey, but we mustn’t spoil everything by trying to go too fast.”