nd agonized in spirit during those long, lonely hours,
God and himself only know. When the day had fairly dawned, he entered
the house, lay down wearily, and slept a "long and troubled sleep."

With a heavy heart Teddy made his way back through the woods to where
the Indians were congregated. They were seated around the camp-fire
engaged in smoking, but did not exchange nor utter a syllable. They
all understood each other, and therefore there was no need of talk.
The Irishman seated himself beside them, and joined an hour or two in
smoking, when they all lay down and slumbered.

All with the exception of Teddy, who could not sleep. He rolled hither
and thither, drew deep sighs, and took new positions, but it availed
nothing. The events of the past day had driven sleep far from his
eyelids, and he soon gave over the effort altogether. Rising to a
sitting position, he scratched his head (which was significant only of
abstraction of thought), and gazed meditatively into the smoldering
embers.

While seated thus, an idea suddenly came to him which brought him
instantly to his feet. The fact that it had not occurred to the
Indians he attributed to their inferior shrewdness and sagacity. He
recalled that the abduction of the young wife took place quite late in
the afternoon; and, as she must be an unwilling captive of course, she
would know enough to hinder the progress of the man so as to afford
her friends a chance to overtake them. Such being the case, the hunter
would find himself compelled to encamp for the night, and therefore he
could be but a short distance away. The more the Irishman reflected,
the more he became convinced that his view was right; and, we may
state, that for once, at least, his supposition had a foundation to
stand upon.

The matter, as has been evident from the first to the reader, rested
entirely upon the impossibility of following the trail at night. Thus
far it had maintained its direction parallel with the river, and he
deduced that it must continue to do so. Such being the case, the man
could be reached as well during the darkness as daylight.

Teddy concluded not to awaken the savages, as they would hardly
coincide with him. So he cautiously rose to his feet, and walking
around them, made off in the darkness. He was prudent enough to obtain
an idea of the general direction before starting, so as to prevent
himself going astray; after which he pressed the pursuit with all
possible speed.