Did not Mukoki realize this?
Maddened by the thought that his beloved Wabi was in the hands of merciless enemies, was the old pathfinder becoming reckless?
But when he looked into his companion's face and saw the cool deadly resolution glittering in his eyes, the youth's confidence was restored.
For some reason Mukoki knew that there would not be an ambush.
Over the moose-run the two traveled more swiftly and soon they came to the foot of the high hill.

Up this the Woongas had gone, their trail clearly defined and unswerving in its direction.

Mukoki now paused with a warning gesture to Rod, and pointed down at one of the snow-shoe tracks.

The snow was still crumbling and falling about the edges of this imprint.
"Ver' close!" whispered the Indian.
It was not the light of the game hunt in Mukoki's eyes now; there was a trembling, terrible tenseness in his whispered words.

He crept up the hill with Rod so near that he could have touched him.