The rabbit hid in his burrow, the
squirrel remained in his hollow tree, and the deer did not leave
his covert.
Henry could not well calculate the passage of time, it seemed so
fearfully long, and there was no one to tell him, but he judged
that it must be about noon, and his temper was becoming that of
the famished panther to which he likened himself. He paused and
looked around the circle of the dripping woods. He had retained
his idea of direction and he knew that he could go straight back
to the hut in the swamp. But he had no idea of returning now. A
power that neither he nor anyone else could resist was pushing
him on his search.
Searching the gloomy horizon again, he saw against the dark sky a
thin and darker line that he knew to be smoke. He inferred,
also, with certainty, that it came from an Indian camp, and,
without hesitation, turned his course toward it. Indian camp
though it might be, and containing the deadliest of foes, he was
glad to know something lived beside himself in this wilderness.
He approached with great caution, and found his surmise to be
correct. Lying full length in a wet thicket he saw a party of
about twenty warriors-Mohawks he took them to be-in an oak
opening.
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