And then the wonderful freedom! That old thought came to him with renewed force.

To roam as he pleased, to stop when he pleased and to sleep where he pleased! He would make a canoe, and float down the great rivers to their mouths.

Then he would wander far out on the vast plains, which they say lay beyond the thousand miles of forest, and see the buffalo in millions go thundering by.

That would be a life without care.
He fell asleep presently, but he was awakened after a while by a long-drawn plaintive shriek answered by a similar cry.

Once he would have been alarmed by the sound, but now he knew it was panther talking to panther.