They saw, too, that it was admitting the sunbeams--admonishing them that it was still far from night.
They had brought all their traps down along with them--their knives and pistols, with Hamersley's gun still carefully kept.

But they hesitated about going out.

There could be no difficulty in their doing so, for there was a ledge less than three feet under the aperture, upon which they could find footing.

It was not that which caused them to hesitate, but the fact of again falling into the hands of their implacable enemies.
That these were still upon the plain they had evidence.

They could hear their yells and whooping, mingled with peals of wild demon-like laughter.