also hold back the forces of St. Luc."

"That's true, Dagaeoga. It's a poor snow that doesn't help somebody.
Now, I will make a bow and arrow to take the place of my great bow and
quiver, which await me elsewhere, because we must draw but little upon
our powder and bullets."

The Onondaga had hatchet and knife and he worked with great rapidity
and skill, cutting and bending a bow in two or three days, and making
a string of strong sinews, after which he fashioned many arrows and
tipped them with sharp bone. Then he contemplated his handiwork with
pride.

"Hasty work is never the best of work," he said, "and these are not as
good as those I left behind me, but I know they will serve. The game
here, hunted but little, is not very wary and I can approach near."

His skill both in construction and use was soon proved, as he slew
with his new weapons a great moose, two ordinary deer, and much
smaller game, while the traps caught beaver, otter, fox, wolf and
other animals, with fine pelts. Many splendid furs were soon drying
in the air and were taken later into the cave, while they accumulated
dried and jerked game enough to last them until the next spring.

Both worked night and day with such application and intensity that
their hands became stiff and sore, and every bone in them ached.
Nevertheless Robert took time now and then to examine the little caves
in the other sections of the valley, only to find them still empty.
He thought, for a while, that the presence of Tayoga and himself and
their operations with the game might have frightened the bears away,
but the feeling that they would come returned and was strong upon him.
As for Tayoga he never doubted. It had been decreed by Tododaho.

"The animals have souls," he said. "Often when great warriors die or
fall in battle their souls go into the bodies of bear, or deer, or
wolf, but oftenest into that of bear. For that reason the bear, saving
only the dog which lives with us, is nearest to man, and now and then,
because of the warrior soul in him, he is a man himself, although
he walks on four legs--and he does not always walk on four legs,
sometimes he stands on two. Doubt not, Dagaeoga, that when the stormy
winter sweeps down the bears will come to their ancient homes, whether
or not we be here."

The winds grew increasingly chill, coming from the vast lakes beyond
the Great Lakes, those that lay in the far Canadian north, and the
skies were invariably leaden in