Hour passed after
hour, notwithstanding, and the sun had once more begun to fall
towards the summits of the western hills, and yet no signs were
seen of the return of the raft. By dint of sweeping the shore with
the glass, Deerslayer at length discovered a place in the dense
and dark woods where, he entertained no doubt, the Iroquois were
assembled in considerable numbers. It was near the thicket whence
the raft had issued, and a little rill that trickled into the
lake announced the vicinity of a spring. Here, then, the savages
were probably holding their consultation, and the decision was to
be made that went to settle the question of life or death for the
prisoners. There was one ground for hope in spite of the delay,
however, that Deerslayer did not fail to place before his anxious
companions. It was far more probable that the Indians had left their
prisoners in the camp, than that they had encumbered themselves by
causing them to follow through the woods a party that was out on
a merely temporary excursion. If such was the fact, it required
considerable time to send a messenger the necessary distance, and
to bring the two white men to the spot where they were to embark.
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