His body quivered, though not with the cold of the water, but his soul was steady.
Although the wind sank, which was against them, the darkness increased, and the fact that two other trees were afloat within view, was greatly in their favor.

It gave them comrades in that lazy drifting and diverted suspicion.
"If they conclude to make a close examination of our tree, what shall we do ?" whispered Robert.
"We'll be at a great disadvantage in the water," the hunter whispered back, "but we'll have to get our rifles loose from their lashings and make a fight of it.

I'm hoping it won't come to that." The canoe approached the tree and then veered away again, as if the warriors were satisfied with its appearance.

Certainly a tree more innocent in looks never floated on the waves of Lake George.
The three were masters of illusion and deception, and they did not do a single thing to turn the tree from its natural way of drifting.

It obeyed absolutely the touch of the wind and not that of their hands, which rested as lightly as down upon the trunk.