The food that they had brought from the Wyoming fort was almost exhausted, and the wild whortleberries were far from sustaining.

Fortunately there was plenty of water flowing tinder the dark woods and along the mountainside.

But they were compelled to stop at intervals of an hour or two to rest, and the more timid continually expected Indian ambush.
The five met shortly after noon and took another reckoning of the situation.

They still realized to the full the dangers of Indian pursuit, which in this case might be a mere matter of accident.

Anybody could follow the broad trail left by the fugitives, but the Iroquois, busy with destruction in the valley, might not follow, even if they saw it.