turn aside soon to see if they cannot ambush somebody."

"In that case it will be wise for us to watch out for ourselves. You
think Tandakora may leave St. Luc and lie in wait, perhaps, for us?"

"For any one who may come. He does not yet know that it is the Great
Bear, Dagaeoga and I who follow. Suppose we go on a while longer and see
if he leaves the main trail. Is it the wish of Great Bear and Dagaeoga?"

"It is," they replied together.

They advanced several hours, and then the great trail split, or rather
it threw off a stem that curved to the west.

"It is made by about twenty warriors," said Tayoga, "and here are the
huge footsteps of Tandakora in the very center of it. I think they will
go northwest a while, and then come back toward the main trail, hoping
to trap any one who may be rash enough to follow Sharp Sword. But, if
the Great Bear and Dagaeoga wish it, we will pursue Tandakora himself
and ambush him when he is expecting to ambush others."

The dark eyes of the Onondaga gleamed.

"I can see, Tayoga, that you're hoping for a chance to settle that score
between you and the Ojibway," said the hunter. "Maybe you'll get it this
time, and maybe you won't, but I'm willing to take the trail after him,
and so is Robert here. We may stop a lot of mischief."

It was then about two o'clock in the afternoon, and, as Tayoga said that
Tandakora's trail was not more than a few hours old, they pushed on