They stopped and peered anxiously into the cover. It was dense and as twilight still lingered beneath the heavy stand of evergreens they were unable to discover the bear. Several times they thought they saw it, but they were deceived by stumps and shadows. They listened a long time, but heard nothing to give them a clew.
"If Machque is in there, he must be dead," Yellow Wolf said, at last.
"Perhaps he crawled through that place and went out on the other side," Running Fox told him. "We will circle around and find out about it."
"It is the best thing to do," said Yellow Wolf.
They separated and began to move cautiously around the tangle. They had taken only a few strides when they heard low, ominous growls coming from beneath a confused mass of roots and brush. They stopped and prepared to fight.
"Look sharp, Machque is coming out!" Running Fox cried, warningly.
A moment afterward there was a sharp crackling of sticks and the wounded bear forced its way through the tangle. It emerged within a bow-length of Yellow Wolf. At sight of him it reared unsteadily upon its hind legs, and Yellow Wolf drove his arrow into its chest. Roaring furiously, the bear dropped to its feet and turned to enter the cover. Yellow Wolf ran close up to it and drove another arrow behind its shoulder. Machque flashed about with the agility of a lynx and rushed wildly upon his foe. Yellow Wolf turned to run but tripped over a log and plunged headlong into the brush. At that moment Running Fox rushed recklessly upon the bear and struck it with his tomahawk, Machque wheeled to attack him, and then Yellow Wolf jumped to his feet and shot an arrow. The bear collapsed. For some moments it continued to struggle, and then it lay still. The Delawares looked at each other and smiled.
"Machque is dead," said Yellow Wolf. "He was very strong and very fierce. Running Fox, you were brave. You kept Machque from tearing me. I will tell our people about it."
Having killed the bear, they had little inclination to loiter. They left Machque where he had fallen and turned toward the river. They found Dancing Owl staring anxiously across the water. He heard them approaching and motioned for them to be cautious. Then he pointed mysteriously across the river. Running Fox and Yellow Wolf feared to move. For some moments they stood motionless, searching the opposite shore. Then Dancing Owl signaled for them to advance. They sank to their hands and knees and crawled carefully through the undergrowth.
"What do you see?" Running Fox inquired in a cautious whisper.