The scouts sent out by the captain towards the decline of day had badly performed their duty, or else they were not accustomed to Indian cunning, otherwise they never could, by their reports, have placed the colonists in such deceitful confidence.
Scarcely a mile from the village, concealed amongst and confounded with the thick bushes and intertwining trees of a virgin forest, of which the nearest part had already fallen under the indefatigable axe of the clearers, two hundred warriors of the tribe of the Serpent, guided by several renowned chiefs, among whom was Eagle Head, who, although wounded, insisted upon joining the expedition, were waiting, with that Indian patience which nothing can foil, the propitious moment for taking a severe vengeance for the insult they had received.
Several hours passed thus, and the silence of night was not disturbed by any noise whatever.
The Indians, motionless as bronze statues, waited without displaying the slightest impatience.
Towards eleven o'clock the moon rose, lighting the landscape with its silvery beams.
At the same instant the distant howling of a dog was repeated twice.
Eagle Head then left the tree behind which he had been screened, and began to creep with extreme address and velocity, in the direction of the village.
On reaching the skirts of the forest he stopped; then, after casting round an investigating glance, he imitated the neighing of a horse with such perfection that two horses of the village immediately replied to him.
After waiting for a few seconds, the practised ear of the chief perceived an almost insensible noise among the leaves; the bellowing of an ox was heard a short distance away; then the chief arose and waited.
Two seconds later a man joined him.