toward their journey's end. Knowing the dangers of the wilderness, they
also increased their caution, traveling sometimes at night and lying in
camp by day.

But they lived well. All three knew the importance of preserving their
strength, and to do so an abundance of food was the first requisite.
Tayoga 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 tribute. They lighted the cooking fires, however, in the most
sheltered places they could find, and invariably extinguished them as
soon as possible.

"You can't be too careful in the woods," said Willet, "especially in
times like these. While the English and French are not yet fighting
there's always danger from the savages."

"The warriors from the wild tribes in Canada and the west will take a
scalp wherever there's a chance," said the young Onondaga.

Robert often noticed the manner in which Tayoga spoke of the tribes
outside the great League. To him those that did not belong to the
Hodenosaunee, while they might be of the same red race, were
nevertheless inferior. He looked upon them as an ancient Greek looked
upon those who were not Greeks.

"The French are a brave people," said the hunter, "but the most warlike
among them if they knew our errand would be willing for some of their
painted allies to drop us in the wilderness, and no questions would be
asked. You can do things on the border that you can't in the towns. We
might be tomahawked in here and nobody would ever know what became of