If the wind held, it would all blow away by sunrise, and the rain with it.

He awakened Robert at once.
"I think we would better move now," he said.

"We shall soon be able to see our way, and a good start ahead of the war band is important." They made a northward curve, passing around the valley, in which the camp of the warriors lay, and, when the sun showed its first luminous edge over the horizon, they were several miles ahead.

The steady wind had carried all the fog and rain to the southward, but the forest was still wet and dripping.
"And now," said Tayoga, "we must pick up anew the trail of the Great Bear and Black Rifle.

We are sure they were continuing east, and by ranging back and forth from north to south and from south to north we can find it." It was a full two hours before they discovered it, leading up a narrow gorge, and Robert grew anxious lest the war band was already on their own traces, which the warriors were sure to see in time.