"Ay, lad, the time is drawin' nigh; but I reckon that we'll be wise to
hold on as we are a spell longer."

Then he lay back as if bent on going to sleep, and I held my peace,
determined to say no more even though he remained there until sunrise.

It must have been ten o'clock before he showed signs of life, and then he
rose to his feet as he said:

"I allow that we'd better be movin', though there ain't any great need of
hurryin'. We'll be able to cover three miles in an hour, an' even then be
a bit early for good work."

"How will you set about findin' Jacob?" I asked, giving words to the
question which had been in my mind ever since we came to a halt.

"Our only chance is to keep movin' nearabout Thayendanega's camp, an'
trustin' to accident for comin' across him."

Sergeant Corney strapped his rifle on his back, as if believing he would
have no use for it; but he made certain his knife was loose in its sheath,
and I understood that if we had trouble it would be at close quarters.

At last we were ready, and this time the sergeant did not propose that I
lead the way.

He strode off in advance, with never a glance backward to see if I was
following, and in silence we went on toward the danger-point at a swift
pace, until the old man halted to say, in a whisper: