l, waiting in silence.

Henry was so much absorbed in this scene, which was at once a spectacle
and a drama, that he almost forgot where he was, and that he was an
enemy. He wondered now at their silence. If this was a council surely
they would discuss whatever question had brought them there! But he was
soon enlightened. That low far cry came again, but from the east. It
was answered, as before, from the camp, and in three or four minutes a
warrior sprang from the forest into the opening. Like the first, he was
naked except for the breech cloth and moccasins. The chiefs rose at his
coming, received his salute gravely, and returned it as gravely. Then
he returned to the forest, and all waited in the splendid calm of the
Indian.

Curiosity pricked Henry like a nettle. Who was coming now? It must be
some man of great importance, or they would not wait so silently.
There was the same air of expectancy that had preceded the arrival of
Timmendiquas. All the warriors looked toward the eastern wall of the
forest, and Henry looked the same way. Presently the black foliage
parted, and a man stepped forth, followed at a little distance by seven
or eight others. The stranger, although tall, was not equal in height to
Timmendiquas, but he, too, had a lofty and splendid presence, and it
was evident to anyone versed at all in forest lore that here was a great
chief. He was lean but sinewy, and he moved with great ease and grace.
He reminded Henry of a powerful panther. He was dressed, after the
manner of famous chiefs, with the utmost care. His short military coat
of fine blue cloth bore a silver epaulet on either shoulder. His
head was not bare, disclosing the scalp lock, like those of the other
Indians; it was covered instead with a small hat of felt, round and
laced. Hanging carelessly over one shoulder was a blanket of blue cloth
with a red border. At his side, from a belt of blue leather swung a
silver-mounted small sword. His leggins were of superfine blue cloth and
his moccasins of deerskin. Both were trimmed with small beads of many
colors.

The new chief advanced into the opening amid the dead silence that still
held all, and Timmendiquas stepped forward to meet him. These two held
the gaze of everyone, and what they and they alone did had become of
surpassing interest. Each was haughty, fully aware of his own dignity
and importance, but they met half way, looked intently for a moment or
two into the eyes of each other, a