“It is good,” declared Spotted Deer. “Now we will hurry away from here,”
“No, we must wait a little longer,” Running Fox warned him. “I believe the Mohawks have gone away, but we must be sure. Perhaps they are keeping quiet to fool us. Yes, they may be waiting along the edge of the swamp.”
“Well, we will stay here,” agreed Spotted Deer.
They waited until the day was half gone, and then, having heard nothing to rouse their suspicions, they again moved cautiously toward the border of the swamp. As they neared it, they stopped and spent a long time listening and watching. The way seemed clear, however, and they determined to risk all on the chance. A few moments afterward they crossed the boundary of the swamp, and disappeared into the forest.
“Now we are safe,” laughed Spotted Deer.
“Well, we got out of that trap, but there is still great danger,” Running Fox warned him. “This country is filled with our enemies. We must keep watching.”
Running Fox turned toward the west, as he believed that the Mohawks were somewhere to the eastward. Besides, if his enemies should discover his trail he hoped to mislead them into believing that he and Spotted Deer were Shawnees, for he knew that those people lived in the great wilderness to the westward. The Delawares continued to travel until long after darkness had fallen, and finally stopped in a dense forest of pines. They were greatly elated over their successful escape, but they were somewhat worried by the thought that the Mohawks might have learned their identity.
“If they know who we are, it will be hard to get near their camp,” said Spotted Deer.
“Yes, that is true,“ replied Running Fox. ”But I do not believe they know who we are. I believe they took us for Shawnee scouts.”
The next day the Delawares turned toward the north. They had been told that the Mohawk village was somewhere within a day’s journey of a large woodland lake, and they climbed to all the high places to look for it. Their efforts were in vain, however, for the vast wilderness continued unbroken as far as they could see. The following day, therefore, Running Fox proposed that they should separate, and explore the country in different directions.