CHAPTER XI—A SKIRMISH WITH THE SHAWNEES
The Delawares immediately set out to find the distant lake, and learn the identity of the people whom Spotted Deer had seen. They followed the route which Running Fox had taken several days before, and late the second day they climbed to the top of the high mountain from which he had discovered the lake. They judged that the water was about two days’ journey away.
“Does that look like the water you saw!” Running Fox asked Spotted Deer.
“Yes, it is the same,” replied Spotted Deer.
Then he turned toward the west, and pointed out the route which the unknown war-party had followed.
“Well, if they did not turn off some other way they must be at the water by now,” declared Running Fox. “It would be foolish, to try to catch up with them. We must go ahead carefully, and see if we can find their camp.”
“Yes, that is how I feel about it,” agreed Spotted Deer.
They spent the night on the mountain-top, and at dawn resumed their journey toward the lake. Later in the day, as they were making their way through a dense swamp, they heard a harsh cry over their heads. Looking up they saw a large bald eagle circling slowly above the tree-tops. Running Fox immediately became excited.
“See, there is Woapalanne!” he cried. “That means a fight. Yes, I saw him flying around like that before I had the battle with the bear. Do you hear him calling? Well, that is the war-cry of his people. Spotted Deer, I believe we are going into some kind of danger.”
“Well, I do not know about those things, but I believe that what you say is true,” said Spotted Deer.