How are we to
guard against him?"
"We must go fast and watch as we go. Our eyes are keen, and we may see
him moving among the trees. The Ojibway is no marksman, and unless we
sit still it is not likely that he can hit us."
Tayoga spoke very calmly, but his words set Robert's heart to beating,
understanding what an advantage Tandakora had if he sought to lie in
ambush. He knew that the soul of the Ojibway was full of malice and that
his craving for scalps was as strong as the Onondaga had said it was.
Had it been anyone else he would not follow them, but Robert foresaw in
Tandakora a bitter and persistent enemy. Both he and Willet, feeling the
wisdom of Tayoga's advice, began to paddle faster. But the hunter
presently slowed down a little.
"No use to take so much out of ourselves now that we'll just creep along
later on," he said.
"The temptation to go fast is very strong," said Robert. "You feel then
that you're really dodging bullets."
Tayoga was looking far ahead toward a point where the stream became much
narrower and both banks were densely wooded, as usual.
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