The three stirred in the niche, and Robert felt a little relief.

But his throat and mouth were still dry and hard, and they pained him whenever he talked.
Yet they forced themselves to eat a scant supper, although the food increased their thirst, but they knew that without it their strength would decrease, and they expected to obtain water in the dark.
The twilight passed, night came, but they waited with infinite patience refusing to move too soon, despite their great thirst.
Instead, Tayoga suggested that he go to the crest of the cliff and see if there was a possible way out for them in that direction.

Willet agreed, and the Onondaga crept up, without sound, disappearing in a few seconds among the short bushes that hung in the face of the cliff.
Tayoga was a trailer of surpassing skill, and he reached the top without rustling a bush or sending a single pebble rolling.

Then he peered cautiously over the rim and beheld a great fire burning not more than a hundred yards away.

Thirty or forty warriors were sitting around it, eating.