“All perfectly just,” I replied, “and it is what they, being our own people, have a right to expect from us. Still, Guert, I should think those surveyors might be safe where they are, in the bosom of the forest, for a year to come. Their business there cannot be known, and who is then to betray them?” “See,” said Susquesus, earnestly. “Kill deer, and leave him in the wood. Won't raven find carcass?” “That may be true enough; but a raven has an instinct, given him by nature, to furnish him with food. He flies high in the air, moreover, and can see farther than an Indian.” “Nuttin' see farther than Injin! Red-man fly high, too. See from salt lake to sweet water. Know ebbery t'ing in wood. Tell him nuttin' he don't know.” “You do not suppose, Susquesus, that the Huron warriors could find our surveyors, at Mooseridge?” “Why, no find him? Find moose; why no find ridge, too? Find Mooseridge, sartain; find land-measurer.” “On the whole, Corny,” Guert remarked after musing a little, “we may do well to follow the Injin's advice. I have heard of so many misfortunes that have befallen people in the bush, from having despised Indian counsels, that I own to a little superstition on the subject. Just look at what happened yesterday! Had red-skin opinions been taken, Abercrombie might now have been a conqueror, instead of a miserable, beaten man.” Susquesus raised a finger, and his dark countenance became illumined by an expression that was more eloquent even than his tongue. “Why no open ear to red-man!” he asked, with dignity. “Some bird sing a song that good--some sing bad song--but all bird know his own song. Mohawk warrior use to wood, and follow a crooked war-path, when he meet much enemy. Great Yengeese chief think his warrior have two life, that he put him before cannon and rifle, to stand up and be shot. No Injin do so foolish--no--never!” As this was too true to be controverted, the matter was not discussed; but, having determined among ourselves to let the Onondago take us back on the path by which we had come, we announced our readiness to start as soon as it might suit his convenience. Being sufficiently rested, Susquesus, who did everything on system, manifesting neither impatience nor laziness, arose and quietly led the way. Our course was just the reverse of that on which we had travelled when we left Mooseridge; and I did not fail to observe that, so accurate was the knowledge of our guide, we passed many of the same objects as we had previously gone near. There was nothing like a track, with the exception of occasional foot-prints left by ourselves; but it was evident the Onondago paid not the least attention to these, possessing other and more accessible clues to his course.