They spent much time in searching the northern shores and the distant islands, in the vain hope of finding her, as they still thought the camp might have been moved to the opposite side of the lake.
Inconsolable for the loss of their beloved companion, Hector and Louis no longer took interest in what was going on; they hardly troubled themselves to weed the Indian corn, in which they had taken such great delight; all now seemed to them flat, stale, and unprofitable; they wandered listlessly to and fro, silent and sad; the sunshine had departed from their little dwelling; they ate little, and talked less, each seeming absorbed in his own painful reveries.
In vain the gentle Indian girl strove to revive their drooping spirits; they seemed insensible to her attentions, and often left her for hours alone.

They returned one evening about the usual hour of sunset, and missed their meek, uncomplaining guest from the place she was wont to occupy.

They called, but there was none to reply--she too was gone.

They hurried to the shore just time enough to see the canoe diminishing to a mere speck upon the waters, in the direction of the mouth of the river; they called to her in accents of despair, to return, but the wind wafted back no sound to their ears, and soon the bark was lost to sight, and they sat them down disconsolately on the shore.
"What is she doing ?" said Hector; "this is cruel to abandon us thus." "She has gone up the river, with the hope of bringing us some tidings of Catharine," said Louis.

"How came you to think that such is her intention ?" "I heard her say the other day that she would go and bring her back, or die." "What! do you think she would risk the vengeance of the old chief whose life she attempted to take ?" "She is a brave girl; she does not fear pain or death to serve those she loves." "Alas!" said Hector, "she will perish miserably and to no avail; they would not restore our dear sister, even at the sacrifice of Indiana's life." "How can she, unprotected and alone, dare such perils?
Why did she not tell us?
we would have shared her danger." "She feared for our lives more than for her own; that poor Indian girl has a noble heart.