He lay motionless, listening for a while, but hearing nothing of their voices or footsteps, he judged that either they had no suspicion of the true cause, or else had not heard him at all.

He therefore rose to his feet and moved on, occasionally glancing back, to be sure he was not pursued.
The trapper proceeded in this manner until noon.

Had the case been urgent, he would not have paused until nightfall, as his indurated muscles demanded no rest; he could go a couple of days without nourishment, and experience little inconvenience.

But there was no call for haste.

He therefore paused at noon, on the banks of a small stream, in quest of some water-fowl.
Tim gazed up and down-stream, but saw nothing that would serve as a dinner.