As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any
search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was
no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in
their blankets and were soon asleep.
When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had
already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians
could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently
searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and
two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now
entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the
edge of the forest.
"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better.
Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals
was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh
start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're
about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of
Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the
woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the
north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across."
"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there
is no fresh snow."
"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were
to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd
follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements.
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