probably, had it been cooked.

We might, of course, have avoided the Indians and continued our journey
during the night, but, should no more snow fall, we felt sure that they
would discover our trail, and follow us up, whereas, could we regain our
horses, we might, before daylight, get to such a distance from them,
that they would be unable to overtake us. The other alternative was to
stay in our place of concealment, until they had taken their departure,
but then our food was exhausted, and as they might possibly remain two
or three days, we should be starved. We decided, therefore, that our
best plan was to try and recover our horses, as we had proposed.

We waited until darkness came down on the earth, and then, getting out
of our hiding-place, stole cautiously towards the Indian camp. We could
proceed but very slowly, as we had to make our way among fallen logs,
between the trunks of trees, and round clumps of bushes, too thick to
penetrate. We stopped also frequently to listen for any sounds which
might show us that we had got near the horses. Dio had been enabled to
ascertain on which side of the camp they had been turned loose. Boxer
kept close at our heels, apparently understanding the danger of our
expedition. At length a glare on the leafless boughs of the trees some
way ahead showed us that we were approaching the camp. On we crept;
once more we stopped to listen. Although I could not distinguish what
was said, I was satisfied, from the loud and continuous tones, that one
of the chiefs was addressing his braves, perhaps exciting them to attack
the fort of the pale-faces. The rest of the people kept a perfect
silence while he spoke. I knew therefore that their attention would be
absorbed, and that we consequently should have a better chance of
catching the horses unobserved, than had the people been moving about
and engaged in the usual occupations of a camp. Still I did not forget
that they were habitually on their guard, and might have sentries on the
watch outside the camp. We had now to consider in which direction we
should most probably find the horses. We might have to make almost a
circuit of the camp. I resolved to go to the right, where, as the
forest was more open than on the other side, there would be a greater
probability of the animals finding grass. I touched Dio's arm, and we
moved away in that direction. We had already got to the south of the
camp, when we came to the edge of