Chapter 26

"'Tis too horrible!
The weariest and most loathed worldly life
That age, ache, penury, and imprisonment
Can lay on nature, is a paradise,
To what we fear of death."

_Measure for Measure._

We were not long in reaching the point of the Patent in which the surveyors
had been at work, after which we could have but little difficulty in
finding their present actual position. The marked trees were guides that
told the whole story of their labours. For an hour and a half, however, we
moved rapidly forward, Susquesus on the lead, silent, earnest, watchful,
and I fear I must add, revengeful. Not a syllable had been uttered during
the whole of that time, though our senses were keenly on the alert; and we
avoided everything like a cover that might conceal an ambush. Suddenly
the Indian halted; at the next instant he was behind a tree. Each of us
imitated him, quick as thought, for this was our previous training in the
event of encountering an enemy; and we all well knew the importance of
a cover in forest warfare. Still, no foe could be seen. After examining
around us in every direction, for a minute or two, and finding the woods
vacant and silent as ever, Guert and I quitted our own trees, and joined
the Trackless, at the foot of his own huge pine.

"Why this, Susquesus?" demanded the Albanian, sharply; for he began to
suspect a little acting, got up to magnify the Indian's usefulness; "here
is neither pale-face nor red-skin. Have done with this folly, and let us go
forward."

"No good--warrior been here; p'rhaps gone, p'rhaps no; soon see. Open eye,
and look."

As a gesture accompanied this speech, we did look again, and this time
in the right direction. At the distance of a hundred yards from us was a
chestnut, that might be seen from its roots to its branches. On the ground,
partly concealed by the tree, and partly exposed, was the leg of a man,
placed as the limb would be apt to lie, on the supposition that its owner
lay on his back, asleep. It showed a moccasin, and the usual legging of an
Indian; but the thigh, and all the rest of the frame, was concealed. The
quick eye of the Onondago had caught this small object, even at that
distance, comprehended it at a glance, when he instantly sought a cover,
as described. Guert and I had some difficulty at first, even after it was
pointed out to us, in recognising this object; but it soon became distinct
and intelligible.

"Is that a red-skin's leg?" asked Guert, dropping the muzzle of his rifle,
as if about to try his skill on it.

"Don't know," answered the Indian; "got leggin, got moccasin; can't see
colour. Look most pale-face; leg big."