rapidly, hoping to stalk his camp that very night. The traces soon
curved back toward St. Luc's and they knew they were right in their
surmise that an ambush was being laid by the Ojibway. He and his
warriors would halt in the dense bush beside the great trail and shoot
down any who followed.

"We'll shatter his innocent little plan," said Willet, his spirits
mounting at the prospect.

"Tandakora will not build a fire to-night," said Tayoga. "He will wait
in the darkness beside Sharp Sword's path, hoping that some one will
come. He will lie in the forest like a panther waiting to spring on its
prey."

"And we'll just disturb that panther a little," said Robert,
appreciating the merit of their enterprise, which now seemed to all
three a kind of great game.

"Aye, we'll make Tandakora think all the spirits of earth and air are
after him," said Willet.

They now moved with great caution as the trail was growing quite fresh.

"We will soon be back to Sharp Sword's line of march," said Tayoga, "and
I think we will find Tandakora and his warriors lying in the bushes not
more than a mile ahead."

They redoubled their caution, and, when they approached a dense thicket,
Robert and Willet lay down and Tayoga went on, creeping on hands and
knees. In a half hour he came back and said that Tandakora and his band