Could he have known how near they were, he and his companions
would have rushed down upon them; but they must have thought they
had fled much further. It was impossible to trail them by torchlight
as fast as they could travel, and the Indians did not waste time
in the effort. The one with the torch went back to his companions.
The incident warned our friends of a new form of danger, which
until then had not been counted among the probabilities.
The Indians, as you know, can trace a person through the woods
with wonderful skill, seeing signs where the untrained eye observes
nothing. If these three chose to wait where they were until daylight,
there was nothing to prevent their taking up the trail and tracing
the fugitives wherever they went.
"It won't do to stay here," said Ben, "for they will be right upon
us at daylight."
"Providing they wait where they are."
"Why should they not do so? They are looking for us."
Mrs. Ripley dared not answer the question as her heart prompted.
At the same time, she could think of no means of throwing them off
their track.
"It might have been better had we stayed with Zitner and Burwink
--no, it would not have been," she corrected herself, "for they
were unfriendly to Linna. But we must go.
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