The branches parted, and Swift Arrow stepped quietly into the opening. This brave youth had spent the night in the forest, sometimes lying still as a log, at other times crawling and wriggling like a snake, or crouching like a panther. He had discovered the scouts of a cruel enemy, within ten arrow-flights of their present abode. He had done more.
He had succeeded in passing the scouts unobserved, and in penetrating to the very edge of the hostile camp. His unsleeping vigilance had saved the lives of his comrades, and he had even covered up his own tracks in returning to the camp, by taking a circuitous route and wading for some distance in the bed of a little stream, and had so well timed his efforts that he reached the camping-ground just as dawn was breaking.
Beyond the customary "Ugh!" he remained silent; though even Jack, who had now awakened, could see that he had something of importance to communicate, but he seemed already possessed of all the restraint of his tribe, and quietly sat down with the rest to a breakfast, which consisted of a little pemmican and hominy, which was soon finished.
"My brother has seen an enemy?" said Young Eagle, when the meal was over.
"Ugh!" replied Swift Arrow, as though he considered the news of little importance and scarcely worth the telling.
"Swift Arrow will tell us what he has seen?" said Jack, and then the young warrior spoke briefly and as follows--
"Ten arrow-flights towards the sun-rising is an Algonquin camp, of twenty-four braves--and one prisoner...."
"And the prisoner? Who--what is he?" asked Jamie, remembering his dream.
"It is the great paleface hunter, the friend of White Eagle."
CHAPTER XIV