“Put me down,” said Tayoga.  “We are safe from the enemy, for a while at least.  All the warriors have been drawn by the battle, and, whether it goes on now or not, they have not yet had time to scatter and seek through the wilderness.”

“I said I was going to be absolute master, but it looks, Tayoga, as if you meant to give advice anyhow.  And as your advice seems good, and I confess I’m a trifle weary, I’ll let you see if you can sit up a little on this heap of dead leaves, with your back against this old fallen trunk.  Here we go!  Gently now!  Oh, you’ll soon be a warrior again, if you follow my instructions!”

Tayoga heaved a little sigh of relief as he leaned back against the trunk.  His eyes were growing clearer and Robert knew that the beat of his pulse was fuller.  All the amazing vitality that came from a powerful constitution, hard training and clean living was showing itself.  Already, and his wound scarcely two hours old, his strength was coming back.

“You look for a wigwam, Dagaeoga?” he said.

“Well, scarcely that,” replied Robert.  “I’m not expecting an inn in this wilderness, but I’m seeking some sort of shelter, preferably high up among the rocks, where we might find protection from storms.”

“Two or three hundred yards farther on and we’ll find it.”

“Come, Tayoga, you’re just guessing.  You can’t know such a thing.”

“I am not guessing at all, Dagaeoga, and I do know.  Your position as absolute ruler was brief.  It expired between the first and second hour, and now you have an adviser who may become a director.”

“Then proceed with your advice and direction.  How do you know there is shelter only two or three hundred yards farther on?”

“I look ahead, and I see a narrow path leading up among the rocks.  Such paths are countless in the wilderness, and many of them are untrodden, but the one before my eyes has sustained footsteps many times.”

“Come down to earth, Tayoga, and tell me what you see.”

“I see on the rocks on either side of this path long, coarse hairs.  They were left by a wild animal going back and forth to its den.  It was a large wild animal, else it would not have scraped against the rocks on either side.  It was probably a bear, and if you will hand me the two or three twisted hairs in the crevice at your elbow I will tell you.”

Robert brought them to him and Tayoga nodded assent.

“Aye, it was a bear,” he said, “and a big one.”

“But how do you know his den is only two or three hundred yards away?”

“That is a matter of looking as far as the eyes can reach.  If you will only lift yours and gaze over the tops of those bushes you will see that the path ends against a high stone face or wall, too steep for climbing.  So the den must be there, and let us hope, Dagaeoga, that it is large enough for us both.  The bear is likely to be away, as this is summer.  Now, lift me up.  I have talked all the talk that is in me and as much as I have strength to utter.”