There was a busy hum on all sides; the squaws were preparing large quantities of buffalo meat, cutting it in long, thin strips, and were parching corn in stone vessels.
The braves were cleaning rifles, sharpening tomahawks, and mixing war paints.

All these things Isaac knew to be preparations for long marches and for battle.

That night he heard speech after speech in the lodge next to the one in which he lay, but they were in an unknown tongue.

Later he heard the yelling of the Indians and the dull thud of their feet as they stamped on the ground.

He heard the ring of the tomahawks as they were struck into hard wood.