168 STORY OF 



set out one morning before the sun rose, and, 

 under cover of a dense vapour which hung upon 

 the lake, approached, with noiseless paddle, the 

 shore of the solitary lodge. Not a whisper was 

 heard, as each Indian cautiously took his station, 

 and stood with bow or spear in act to strike. 

 One, the ' Eagle of his tribe,' advanced before 

 the rest, and with light steps drew near a 

 cavern in the rock ; where, placing his head to 

 the ground, he listened anxiously for some 

 moments, scarcely seeming to breathe ; then, 

 with a slight motion of his hand, he gave the 

 welcome sign that the enemy was within. 



" A shower of arrows was poured into the 

 chasm ; and the long shrill whoop that accom- 

 panied the volley had just died away in its caverns, 

 when a heavy splash was heard, which, for a time, 

 suspended further operations. The attacking 

 party gazed on one another in mute and vacant 

 surprise ; for they had not suspected the subter- 

 ranean passage, and felt that they were baffled. 

 The chief, after creeping into the cavern to 

 explore, directed them to embark ; and, having 

 formed a crescent with their canoes at intervals 

 of a hundred yards from each other, they paddled 

 towards the Rat's Lodge, under the idea that 

 the enemy might have retreated thither : if not, 

 it was agreed, that the rat, though, upon the 



