The position of Captain de Haldimar had now attained its
acme of interest; for on his own exertions alone depended
every thing that remained to be accomplished. With
wonderful presence of mind he surveyed all the difficulties
of his course, while he availed himself at the same moment
of whatever advantages were within his grasp. On the
approach of Wacousta, the young Indians, to whose custody
he had been committed, had returned to their post; but
no sooner had that warrior, obeying the call of Ponteac,
again departed, than they once more flew to the extreme
skirt of the forest, after first satisfying themselves
the ligatures which confined their prisoner were secure.
Either with a view of avoiding unnecessary encumbrance
in their course, or through hurry and inadvertence, they
had left their blankets near the foot of the tree. The
first thought of the officer was to seize one of these;
for, in order to gain the point whence his final effort
to join the detachment must be made, it was necessary he
should pass through the body of scattered Indians who
stood immediately in his way; and the disguise of the
blanket could alone afford him a reasonable chance of
moving unnoticed among them.
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