Meanwhile Willet watched, and there was no better sentinel in all the northern wilderness.

The wind was still blowing lightly, and the rustling of the leaves never ceased, but he would have detected instantly any strange note, jarring upon that musical sound.
The hunter looked upon the sleeping lads, the white and the red.

Both had a powerful hold upon his affection.

He felt that he stood to them almost in the relationship of a father, and he was proud, too, of their strength and skill, their courage and intelligence.

Eager as he was to reach Fort Refuge and save the garrison and people there, he was even more eager to save the two youths from harm.
He let them sleep until the gold of the morning sun was gilding the eastern forest, when the three drew further upon their supplies of bread and venison and once more resumed the journey through the pathless woods towards their destination.