Nevertheless, the savages were aware that the country around the burned hut, for a considerable extent, differed, in this particular, from most of that which lay farther east, or more inland.  On the last a trail would be much more easily detected than on the first, and a party, under the direction of a particularly experienced leader, was dispatched several miles to the eastward, to look for the usual signs of the passage of any toward Detroit, taking that route.  This last expedient troubled Peter exceedingly, since it placed a body of enemies in the rear of the fugitives; thereby rendering their position doubly perilous.  There was no help for the difficulty, however; and the great chief saw the party depart without venturing on remonstrance, advice, or any other expedient to arrest the movement.  Bear’s Meat now called the head chiefs, who remained, into a circle, and asked for opinions concerning the course that ought next to be taken.

“What does my brother, the tribeless chief, say?” he asked, looking at Peter, in a way to denote the expectation which all felt, that he ought to be able to give useful counsel in such a strait.  “We have got but two scalps from six heads; and one of them is buried with the medicine-priest.”

“Scalps cannot be taken from them that get off,” returned Peter, evasively.  “We must first catch these pale-faces.  When they are found it will be easy to scalp them.  If the canoes are gone, I think the medicine-bee-hunter and his squaws have gone in them.  We may find the whole down the river.”

To this opinion most of the chiefs assented, though the course of examining for a trail farther east was still approved.  The band was so strong, while the pale-faces were so few, that a distribution of their own force was of no consequence, and it was clearly the most prudent to send out young men in all directions.  Every one, however, expected that the fugitives would be overtaken on, or near, the river, and Bear’s Meat suggested the propriety of their moving down stream, themselves, very shortly.

“When did my brother last see the pale-faces?” asked Crowsfeather.  “This bee-hunter knows the river well, and may have started yesterday; or even after he came from the Great Council of the Prairie.”

This was a new idea, but one that seemed probable enough.  All eyes turned toward Peter, who saw, at once, that such a notion must greatly favor the security of the fugitives, and felt a strong desire to encourage it.  He found evasion difficult, however, and well knew the danger of committing himself.  Instead of giving a straightforward answer, therefore, he had recourse to circumlocution and subterfuge.

“My brother is right,” he answered.  “The pale-faces have had time to get far down the stream.  As my brothers know, I slept among them at the Round Prairie.  To-day, they know I was with them at the council of the spring of gushing waters.”