ond　the　close　group　of　circling　trees。　　The　rain　still　fell　with　uncommon　steadiness　and　persistence；　but　at　times　hail　was　mingled　with　it。　　Henry　could　not　remember　in　his　experience　a　more　desolate　night。　　It　seemed　that　the　whole　world　dwelt　in　perpetual　darkness；　and　that　he　was　the　only　living　being　on　it。　　　　Yet　within　the　four　or　five　feet　square　of　the　hut　it　was　warm　and　bright；　and　he　was　not　unhappy。
  He　would　forget　the　pangs　of　hunger；　and；　wrapping　himself　in　the　dry　blanket；　he　lay　down　before　the　bed　of　coals；　having　first　raked　ashes　over　them；　and　he　slept　one　of　the　soundest　sleeps　of　his　life。　　All　night　long；　the　dull　cold　rain　fell；　and　with　it；　at　intervals；　came　gusts　of　hail　that　rattled　like　bird　shot　on　the　bark　walls　of　the　hut。　　Some　of　the　white　pellets　blew　in　at　the　door；　and　lay　for　a　moment　or　two　on　the　floor；　then　melted　in　the　glow　of　the　fire；　and　were　gone。
  But　neither　wind；　rain　nor　hail　awoke　Henry。　　He　was　as　safe；　for　the　time；　in　the　hut　on　the　islet；　as　if　he　were　in　the　fort　at　Pittsburgh　or　behind　the　palisades　at　Wareville。　　Dawn　came；　the　sky　still　heavy　and　dark　with　clouds；　and　the　rain　still　falling。
  Henry；　after　his　first　sense　of　refreshment　and　pleasure；　became　conscious　of　a　fierce　hunger　that　no　amount　of　the　will　could　now　keep　quiet。　　His　was　a　powerful　system；　needing　much　nourishment；　and　he　must　eat。　　That　hunger　became　so　great　that　it　was　acute　physical　pain。　　He　was　assailed　by　it　at　all　points；　and　it　could　be　repelled　by　only　one　thing；　food。　　He　must　go　forth；　taking　all　risks；　and　seek　it。
  He　put　on　fresh　wood；　covering　it　with　ashes　in　order　that　it　might　not　blaze　too　high；　and　left　the　islet。　　The　stepping　stones　were　slippery　with　water；　and　his　moccasins　soon　became　soaked　again；　but　he　forgot　the　cold　and　wet　in　that　ferocious　hunger；　the　attacks　of　which　became　more　violent　every　minute。　　He　was　hopeful　that　he　might　see　a　deer；　or　even　a　squirrel；　but　the　animals　themselves　were　likely　to　keep　under　cover　in　such　a　rain。　　He　expected　a　hard　hunt；　and　it　would　be　attended　also　by　much　danger　…　these　woods　must　be　full　of　Indians　…　but　be　thought　little　of　the　risk。　　His　hunger　was　taking　complete　possession　of　his　mind。　　He　was　realizing　now　that　one　might　want　a　thing　so　much　that　it　would　drive　away　all　other　thoughts。
  Rifle　in　hand；　ready　for　any　quick　shot；　he　searched　hour　after　hour　through　the　woods　and　thickets。　　He　was　wet；　bedraggled；　and　as　fierce　as　a　famishing　panther；　but　neither　skill　nor　instinct　guided　him　to　anything。　　The　rabbit　hid　in　his　burrow；　the　squirrel　remained　in　his　hollow　tree；　and　the　deer　did　not　leave　his　covert。
  Henry　could　not　well　calculate　the　passage　of　time；　it　seemed　so　fearfully　long；　and　there　was　no　one　to　tell　him；　but　he　judged　that　it　must　be　about　noon；　and　his　temper　was　becoming　that　of　the　famished　panther　to　which　he　likened　himself。　　He　paused　and　looked　around　the　circle　of　the　dripping　woods。　　He　had　retained　his　idea　of　direction　and　he　knew　that　he　could　go　straight　back　to　the　hut　in　the　swamp。　　But　he　had　no　idea　of　returning　now。　　A　power　that　neither　he　nor　anyone　else　could　resist　was　pushing　him　on　his　search。
  Searching　the　gloomy　horizon　again；　he　saw　against　the　dark　sky　a　thin　and　darker　line　that　he　knew　to　be　smoke。　　He　inferred；　also；　with　certainty；　that　it　came　from　an　Indian　camp；　and；　without　hesitation；　turned　his　course　toward　it。　　Indian　camp　though　it　might　be；　and　containing　the　deadliest　of　foes；　he　was　glad　to　know　something　lived　beside　himself　in　this　wilderness。
  He　approached　with　great　caution；　and　found　his　surmise　to　be　correct。　　Lying　full　length　in　a　wet　thicket　he　saw　a　party　of　about　twenty　warriors…Mohawks　he　took　them　to　be…in　an　oak　opening。　　They　had　erected　bark　shelters；　they　had　good　fires；　and　they　were　cooking。　　He　saw　them　roasting　the　strips　over　the　coals…bear　meat；　venison；　squirrel；　rabbit；　bird…and　the　odor；　so　pleasant　at　other　times；　assailed　his　nostrils。　　But　it　was　now　only　a　taunt　and　a　torment。　　It　aroused　every　possible　pang　of　hunger；　and　every　one　of　them　stabbed　like　a　knife。
  The　warriors；　so　secure　in　their　forest　isolation；　kept　no　sentinels；　and　they　were　enjoying　themselves　like　men　who　had　everything　they　wanted。　　Henry　could　hear　them　laughing　and　talking；　and　he　watched　them　as　they　ate　strip　after　strip　of　the　delicate；　tender　meat　with　the　wonderful　appetite　that　the　Indian　has　after　long　fasting。　　A　fierce；　unreasoning　anger　and　jealousy　laid　hold　of　him。　　He　was　starving；　and　they　rejoiced　in　plenty　only　fifty　yards　away。　　He　began　to　form　plans　for　a　piratical　incursion　upon　them。　　Half　the　body　of　a　deer　lay　near　the　edge　of　the　opening；　he　would　rush　upon　it；　seize　it；　and　dart　away。　　It　might　be　possible　to　escape　with　such　spoil。
  Then　he　recalled　his　prudence。　　Such　a　thing　was　impossible。　　The　whole　band　of　warriors　would　be　upon　him　in　an　instant。　　The　best　thing　that　he　could　do　was　to　shut　out　the　sight　of　so　much　luxury　in　which　he　could　not　share；　and　he　crept　away　among　the　bushes　wondering　what　he　could　do　to　drive　away　those　terrible　pains。　　His　vigorous　system　was　crying　louder　than　ever　for　the　food　that　would　sustain　it。　　His　eyes　were　burning　a　little　too　brightly；　and　his　face　was　touched　with　fever。
  Henry　stopped　once　to　catch　a　last　glimpse　of　the　fires　and　the　feasting　Indians　under　the　bark　shelters。　　He　saw　a　warrior　raise　a　bone；　grasping　it　in　both　hands；　and　bite　deep　into　the　tender　flesh　that　clothed　it。　　The　sight　inflamed　him　into　an　anger　almost　uncontrollable。　　He　clenched　his　fist　and　shook　it　at　the　warrior；　who　little　suspected　the　proximity　of　a　hatred　so　intense。　　Then　he　bent　his　head　down　and　rushed　away　among　the　wet　bushes　which　in　rebuke　at　his　lack　of　caution　raked　him　across　the　face。
  Henry　walked　despondently　back　toward　the　islet　in　the　swamp。　　The　aspect　of　air　and　sky　had　not　changed。　　The　heavens　still　dripped　icy　water；　and　there　was　no　ray　of　cheerfulness　anywhere。　　The　game　remained　well　hidden。
  It　was　a　long　journey　back；　and　as　he　felt　that　he　was　growing　weak　he　made　no　haste。　　He　came　to　dense　clumps　of　bushes；　and　plowing　his　way　through　them；　he　saw　a　dark　opening　under　some　trees　thrown　down　by　an　old　hurricane。　　Having　some　vague　idea　that　it　might　be　the　lair　of　a　wild　animal；　he　thrust　the　muzzle　of　his　rifle　into　the　darkness。　　It　touched　a　soft　substance。　　There　was　a　growl；　and　a　black　form　shot　out　almost　into　his　face。　　Henry　sprang　aside；　and　in　an　instant　all　his　powers　and　faculties　returned。　　He　had　stirred　up　a　black　bear；　and　before　the　animal；　frightened　as　much　as　he　was　enraged；　could　run　far　the　boy；　careless　how　many　Indians　might　hear；　threw　up　his　rifle　and　fired。
  His　aim　was　good。　　The　bear；　shot　through　the　head；　fell；　and　was　dead。　　Henry；　transformed；　ran　up　to　him。　　Bear　life　had　been　given　up　to　sustain　man's。　　Here　was　food　for　many　days；　and　he　rejoiced　with　a　great　joy。　　He　did　not　now　envy　those　warriors　back　there。
  The　bear；　although　small；　was　very　fat。　　Evidently　he　had　fed　well　on　acorns　and　wild　honey；　and　he　would　yield　up　steaks　which；　to　one　with　Henry's　appetite；　would　be　beyond　compare。　　He　calculated　that　it　was　more　than　a　mile　to　the　swamp；　and；　after　a　few　preliminaries；　he　flung　the　body　of　the　bear　over　his　shoulder。　　Through　some　power　of　the　mind　over　the　body　his　full　strength　had　returned　to　him　miraculously；　and　when　he　reached　the　stepping　stones　he　crossed　from　one　to　another　lightly　and　firmly；　despite　the　weight　that　he　carried。
  He　came　to　the　little　bark　hut　which　he　now　considered　his　own。　　The　night　had　fallen　again；　but　some　coals　still　glowed　under　the　ashes；　and　there　was　plenty　of　dry　wood。　　He　did　everything　decently　and　in　order。　　He　took　the　pelt　from　the　bear；　carved　the　body　properly；　and　then；　just　as　the　Indians　had　done；　he　broiled　strips　over　the　coals。　　He　ate　them　one　after　another；　slowly；　and　tasting　all　the　savor；　and；　intense　as　was　the　mere　physical　pleasure；　it　was　mingled　with　a　deep　thankfulness。　　Not　only　was　the　life　nourished　anew　in　him；　but　he　would　now　regain　the　strength　to　seek　his　comrades。
  When　he　had　eaten　enough　he　fastened　the　body　of　the　bear；　now　in　several　portions；　on　hooks　high　upon　the　walls；　hooks　which　evidently　had　been　placed　there　by　the　former　owner　of　the　hut　for　this　very　purpose。　　Then；　sure　that　the　savor　of　the　food　would　draw　other　wild　animals；　he　brought　one　of　the　stepping　stones　and　placed　it　on　the　inside　of　the　door。　　The　door　could　not　be　pushed　aside　without　arousing　him；　and；　secure　in　the　knowledge；　he　went　to　sleep　before　the　coals。
  CHAPTER　IV
  THE　RED　CHIEFS
  Henry　awoke　only　once；　and　that　was　about　half　way　between　midnight　and　morning；　when　his　senses；　never　still　entirely；　even　in　sleep；　warned　him　that　something　was　at　the　door。　　He　rose　cautiously　upon　his　arm；　saw　a　dark　muzzle　at　the　crevice；　and　behind　it　a　pair　of　yellow；　gleaming　eyes。　　He　knew　at　once　that　it　was　a　panther；　probably　living　in　the　swamp　and　drawn　by　the　food。　　It　must　be　very　hungry　to　dare　thus　the　smell　of　man。　　Henry's　hand　moved　slowly　to　the　end　of　a　stick；　the　other　end　of　which　was　a　glowing　coal。　　Then　he　sei