Tayoga, in an instant, was all attention.
"Something has frightened them," he said.
"Perhaps a bear or a deer," said Robert.
"I think not.

They are used to wild animals, and would not be startled at their approach.

There is only one being that everything in the forest generally fears." "Man ?" "Even so, Dagaeoga." "Perhaps we'd better pull in close to the bank and look." "It would be wise." Robert saw that the Onondaga, with his acute instincts, was deeply alarmed, and he too felt that the wild fowl had given warning.

They sent the canoe with a few silent strokes through the shallow water almost to the edge of the land, and, as it nearly struck bottom, two dusky figures rising among the bushes threw their weight upon them.

The light craft sank almost to the edges with the weight, but did not overturn, and both attackers and attacked fell out of it into the lake.
Robert for a moment saw a dusky face above him, and instinctively he clasped the body of a warrior in his arms.