When their private communication was over, Pathfinder rejoined the
rest, and made them acquainted with all he had learned.

The Mohican had followed the trail of their enemies some distance
towards the fort, until the latter caught a sight of the smoke of
Jasper's fire, when they instantly retraced their steps. It now
became necessary for Chingachgook, who ran the greatest risk of
detection, to find a cover where he could secrete himself until
the party might pass. It was perhaps fortunate for him that the
savages were so intent on this recent discovery, that they did not
bestow the ordinary attention on the signs of the forest. At all
events, they passed him swiftly, fifteen in number, treading lightly
in each other's footsteps; and he was enabled again to get into
their rear. After proceeding to the place where the footsteps
of Pathfinder and the Mohican had joined the principal trail, the
Iroquois had struck off to the river, which they reached just as
Jasper had disappeared behind the bend below. The smoke being now
in plain view, the savages plunged into the woods and endeavored to
approach the fire unseen. Chingachgook profited by this occasion
to descend to the water, and to gain the bend in the river also,
which he thought had been effected undiscovered. Here he paused,
as has been stated, until he saw his enemies at the fire, where
their stay, however, was very short.

Of the motives of the Iroquois the Mohican could judge only by their
acts. He thought they had detected the artifice of the fire, and
were aware that it had been kindled with a view to mislead them;
for, after a hasty examination of the spot, they had separated,
some plunging again into the woods, while six or eight had followed
the footsteps of Jasper along the shore, and come down the stream