At
least a dozen soldiers, taught by Willet and Robert, had developed
into excellent hunters, and as the game was abundant, owing to the
absence of Indians, they had killed deer, bear, panther and all the
other kinds of animals that ranged these forests. The flesh of such as
were edible was cured and stored, as they foresaw the day when many
people might be in Fort Refuge and the food would be needed. The skins
also were dressed and were put upon the floor or hung upon the
walls. The young men working hard were happy nevertheless, as they
were continually learning new arts. And the life was healthy to an
extraordinary degree. All the wounded were as whole as before, and
everybody acquired new and stronger muscles.
Their content would have been yet greater in degree had they been able
to learn what was going on outside, in that vast world where France
and Britain and their colonies contended so fiercely for the
mastery. But they looked at the wall of the forest, and it was a
blank. They were shut away from all things as completely as Crusoe on
his island. Nor would they hear a single whisper until Tayoga came
back--if he came back.
On the second day after the Onondaga's departure the air softened, but
became darker.
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