had emerged, plunging anew into the
forest.

"Warriors, if they had picked up his trail, could have followed the brook
as we did," said Robert.

"Of course," said Tayoga, "but the object of the Great Bear was not so much
to hide his flight as to gain time. While we went slowly, looking for the
emergence of his trail, he went fast. Now I think he meant to spend the
night in the woods alone. The rangers must still have been far away. If
they had been near he would not have felt the need of throwing off possible
pursuit."

They followed the dim traces several hours, and then Tayoga announced with
certainty that the hunter had slept alone in the forest, wrapped in his
blanket.

"He crept into this dense clump of bushes," he said, "and lay within their
heart, sheltered and hidden by them. You, Dagaeoga, can see where his
weight has pressed them down. Why, here is the outline of a human body
almost as clear and distinct as if it were drawn with black ink upon white
paper! And the Great Bear slept well, too. The bushes are not broken or
shoved aside except in the space merely wide enough to contain his frame.
Perhaps the goose was so very tender and his nerves and tissues had craved
it so much that they were supremely happy when he gave it to them. That is
why they rested so well.

"In the morning the Great Bear resumed his journey toward the east. He had
no breakfast and doubtless he wished for another goose, but he was
refreshed and he was very strong. The traces are fainter than they were,
because the Great Bear was so vigorous that his feet almost spurned the
earth."

"Don't you think, Tayoga, that he'll soon turn aside again to hunt? So
strong a man as Dave won't go long without food, especially when the forest
is full of it. We've noticed everywhere that the war has caused the game to
increase greatly in numbers."

"It will depend upon the position of the force to which the Great Bear
belongs. If it is near he will not seek game, waiting for food until he
rejoins the rangers, but if they are distant he will look for a deer or
another goose, or maybe a duck. But by following we will see what he did.
It cannot be hidden from us. The forest has few secrets from those who are
born in it. Ah, what is this? The Great Bear hid in a bush, and he leaped
suddenly! Behold the distance between the footprints! He saw something that
alarmed him. It may have been a war party passing, and of which he suddenly
caught sight. If s