moment; and even the stout heart of the elder boy sank within him
as the dogs came up to the log and set up a loud bark of discovery.
But his presence of mind saved him. He spoke in a low tone to the
dogs, who, recognizing his familiar voice, wagged their tails with
delight, and ceased barking. He then threw to them the morsel of
moose-meat he had taken from the wigwam. While the dogs were
thus diverted, the Indians made their appearance. The boys heard
the light, stealthy sound of their moccasins on the leaves. They
passed close to the log; and the dogs, having devoured their moose-
meat, trotted after their masters. Through a crevice in the log the
boys looked after them, and saw them disappear in the thick woods.
They remained in their covert until night, when they started again
on their long journey, taking a new route to avoid the Indians. At
daybreak they again concealed themselves, but travelled the next
night and day without resting. By this time they had consumed all
the bread which they had taken, and were fainting from hunger and
weariness. Just at the close of the third day they were
providentially enabled to kill a pigeon and a small tortoise, a part of
which they ate raw, not daring to make a fire, which might attract
the watchful eyes of savages. On the sixth day they struck upon an
old Indian path, and, following it until night, came suddenly upon a
camp of the enemy. Deep in the heart of the forest, under the
shelter of a ridge of land heavily timbered, a great fire of logs and
brushwood was burning; and around it the Indians sat, eating their
moose-meat and smoking their pipes.

The poor fugitives, starving, weary, and chilled by the cold spring
blasts, gazed down upon the ample fire, and the savory meats which
the squaws were cooking by it, but felt no temptation to purchase
warmth and food by surrendering themselves to captivity. Death in