The Hunters of the Hills

cteristic of him to take more than his share of the work-and the you

either of us," said the hunter

as Robert's time to watch, he wasted no time in vain talk about it. His eyes closed again and he returned to sleep as t

ghly that he could discern a hostile approach in the darkness. The same lore of the forest told him to keep himself concealed, and he sat on a fallen tr

ity. He was a personality in the sense that Tayoga was, one who radiated a spirit or light that others were compelled to notice. He knew that there was no such thing as looking into the future, but he felt with conviction that this

own race the immensity of the stake. He who roamed the forest with Tayoga and the Great Bear understood to the full the power of the Hodenosaunee. It was true, too, that the Indian commissioners at Albany had not done their duty and had given the Indians just cause of com

tle waves of crumbling silver pursued one another across its surface. On the far side the bank, crowned with dense forest showing black in the dusk, rose to a great height, but the lad'

y boughs also to reproduce themselves in the mirror of the lake. He convinced himself that his eyes and his mind were having sport with him, and turning away, he made a little circle in the woods about their camp. All was well

good as anybody ever had, and he was glad they were so near, because he began to have a feeling now that something unusual was going to occur. The shadows on the lake troubled him again, a

ck to the woods in which he stood. Presently, he crouched in dense bush, and concentrated all his powers of hearing, knowing that he must rely upon ear r

or should pass, and he crouched lower in the undergrowth with his hand on the hammer and trigger of his rifle. He did not stir or make any noise

test alarm, had deceived him, and he had learned the patience of the Indian from the Iroquois themselves. His eyes continually

ning coils through leaves or grass. But it was impossible for him to tell how near it was to him or from what point it came, and his b

blood pounding in his ears or the beat of his own pulse for a sound without, and after another five minutes, taking the rifle from the

gain. It was instinct that caused him to drop down so quickly, but he knew that it had saved his life. Something

stant use. But, for a minute or two, he would not have been steady enough to aim at anythi

e who had sped the blow had gone, biding his time for a second chance. Another wait to make sure, and hurrying to t

a, as they looked abou

had been but a second before. He shuddered. Had it not been for his glimpse of the flitting shadow his head would have been cloven to the chin. Tayoga, wi

m Quebec, Tayoga

e young warrior, "but

did!

of Tandakora,

t so," sa

aga. "There is none near us in the forest except Tandakora who could bu

iss he slipped away as

ll

tay to risk a shot from Lennox. He was willing even to abandon a weapon which he mu

led toward the water. Robert told of the shadow he had seen near the farther bank, and both Wi

Ojibway back to murder us!" exclaimed R

said Willet, but the Onon

he slipped away, and it was the lure of scalps that drew him. He comes of a

hat Tayoga understood his race, he accepted his words as final. It was hideous to have the thought in his mind, even

a, "though if war comes they will be on the side of Onontio, bu

dakora has been trying to do here tonight he'll be afraid to find much fault w

" said the

had a mighty narrow escape, Robert, my lad, but we've gained

with an air of satisfaction h

it back to the savage who left it here. And now, as our sleep is broken up for the ni

the far side of the lake. Having no fear of further attack, they lighted a small fire and warmed their food. As they

jibway get his c

d the hunter, "and left it hid to be used again when they went back. It won

h they traveled until nightfall, seeing throughout that time no sign of a human being. It was the primeval wilderness, and since it lay between the British colonies on the south and the French on the north it had been abandoned almost wh

ward, having in mind a double purpose, to throw off the trail anyone who might be following them and to obtain a more direct course toward their

shot another deer with the bow and arrow, and with the use of fishing tackle which they had brought in the canoe they made the river pay ample tr

cially in times like these. While the English and French ar

da and the west will take a scalp wherever

im those that did not belong to the Hodenosaunee, while they might be of the same red race, were n

ling for some of their painted allies to drop us in the wilderness, and no questions would be asked. You can do things

o, St. Luc, might not go back to him. He might fear the anger of the Frenchman, and, too, he

Robert, "that the Ojibw

fter a moment's

a, the Ottawa and the Micmac, all allies of Onontio, hunt. The Oj

ignificance and Robert

e'll then be in real Canada, and, while the French are undoubt

ing the efforts of only one man necessary. A few minutes later he turned the canoe to the shore and

w the canoe upon the land. "All the riv

d when they came to the falls they stopped a little while to lo

efore, three years

here much later,"

you mean,

wild flowers broken off at the stem, a feather which has not fallen from the plumag

Warriors have passed here, though we can't tell how

feather and exami

ock," he said, "but we don't know

to be a hostile t

raveling strangers were enemies until they were proved to be friends, and the proof had to be of the first class, also. They agreed finally to tur

remain unseen. They put the canoe down there and Robert and Tayoga sat beside it, while Willet went into the woods to see if any fu

hy we can't follow. We're three, used to the wilderness, armed well and able to tak

kies, which were of a salmon co

matter?" a

s," he replied, "but it will bring

ga, but we must be movi

ll

ind arose and it was heavy and damp upon their faces. The water seemed black as ink. Low thunder far away began to mutter. The wilderness became uncanny and lonely. All save forest rovers would have been appalled, and of these three one at least felt that the night w

ked Willet, anxiety showing in his to

rm merely growls and threatens at present

ve seen 'em gather before, and this is going to be a king of storms! Hear that thu

st," persisted Tayoga, as the

Now the lightning flared again and again, so fierce and bright that Robert, despite

elter farther on, Tay

and the big hollow in

the left! Don'

s near. Do you think we can make it before

roquois, "but we three are strong, and w

lightning flashed upon it. Robert paddled as he had never paddled before, his muscles straining and the perspiration standing out on his fac

ntinually by the gusts, was broken with waves upon which the canoe rocked with such force that the three, expert though they were, were compelled to use all their skill, every moment, to keep it from being o

every time that I'm going to be struck by it, but I'm glad it

od and evil together,

to our shelter before the rain comes. Loo

dle, shot the canoe back toward the center of the river,

e," said Tayoga, "and we can dra

he rain coming now in a deluge, and the waves on the river make me thi

e than twenty yards behind them. But the fierce and swollen water

ver us then," said Tayo

e. "If that tree had hit us we and the canoe would all have been smashed together an

hollowed out at the base by the perpetual eating of the waters, seemed to pro

e asked, pointing a finger

s they approached, Robert saw that the hollow went far back into the stone, having in truth almost the aspects of a cave. Beneath the mighty projection he saw also that the water was

lare of lightning, that the water ended against a low shelf at least

id the hunter. "I fancy a ship in a storm would be glad

had made a good harbor here for those who traveled on the river, its waters so far never having been parted by anything but a canoe. The hollow went back thirty or forty feet with a s

in comes,"

obert on the ledge with his back to the wall had a pervading sense of comfort. The lightning and the thunder were both dying now, but the rain came in a steady and mighty sweep. As the lightnin

le boy was always to be calm, and under no circumstances to let your calm be broken up when there was nothing

lesson to heart, learned it, and I've never forgotten it. I'm so calm

t you're not excited. I'll do the same. Tayog

e south. Yet the Iroquois dare to come here when they choose. It's the fourth time I have been on t

in his humorous tone, "the

kness. "The time is coming when the sachems of the Onondagas will

, not loud, but with an inf

re a bit proud,

ut cause,

h-and your Manitou who is my God was to say to me, 'Choose what else you'll be,' I'd say, and I'd say it with all the respect and reverence I could bring into the words, 'O Lord, All Wise and All Powerful, make me a strong young warrior of the clan of the Bear, of the nation Onondaga, of the League of the Hodenosaunee, hunting for my cla

ike honey," said Tayoga. But Robert knew that the young Onondaga was in

self comfortable on the

the you

f the storm stirred him. He stood upon the shelf and the others dimly saw his tall and erect

ning cleav

e Soul f

r rolls an

one speeds

are deep

the just

of Good,

w over o

the way o

reat labor

back, saf

py vale of

ard my people sing any better. And now, since you've done more'n your share

ree in silence listened t