V.

A SUMMONS AND A SURRENDER.

The ear of the American Indian, like his eye, is trained to wonderful
fineness, and the faint, tremulous note, which seemed to float from
among the tree tops, stirred the suspicions of the Pawnees. They stopped
in their straggling pursuit, and showed such interest that Deerfoot was
compelled, for safety's sake, to steal further to the rear. If they
should locate the point whence the call was sent, it would be advisable
for him to move still further away.

But the result of the signal, if disappointing in one or two respects
(for it brought no response from his friends), was gratifying from
another point of view. It was apparent that the call of the Shawanoe
produced uneasiness among the Pawnees. It showed that, while they were
hunting for their enemies in one direction, one of them, at least, was
in another place. It must have deepened the old fear that a large number
of foes was in the neighborhood, maneuvering on the outer part of the
circle which inclosed the Pawnees. Enormous advantage was thus placed at
the command of the strangers, and the situation of the warriors bore a
suggestive similarity to that of the hunter who, while hunting the
tiger, discovered that the tiger was hunting him.

Deerfoot did not withdraw so far that he lost his surveillance of the
Pawnees. He smiled in his faint way, when he noticed their glances
toward different points of the compass, and saw them gather for
consultation.

They stood thus only a few moments, when a singular movement followed.
Three of the Pawnees took each a different direction through the wood,
while the main body continued its advance in a more stealthy manner than
before. Their line was along the river and close to it, which looked as
if they were following the trail of the Sauk and Jack Carleton. Whether
or not such was the fact could not be determined by Deerfoot, since the
footprints of the Pawnees, covering the same course, hid those of the
two in advance.

In fact Deerfoot did not care, for, if the Sauk and Jack Carleton knew
no better than to allow a party of hostiles to overhaul them in the
wilderness, they deserved the consequences; but cool and collected as
was the young Shawanoe, his heart gave a quick throb when he noticed the
other movements which I have named.

One of the dusky scouts took a south-westerly course, another went
almost due south, while the third faced the south-east, the paths of the
three divergin