They ate another plentiful supper, then put out their fire, posted sentinels and waited.
Robert was among the sentinels, and Rogers, who had made him second in command until he was reunited with his main force, stood by him in the first hour while they waited.

There was again a splendid moon and plenty of fine stars, shedding a brilliant glow over the forest, and they believed they could see any enemy who tried to approach, especially as the hill was surrounded on all sides by a stretch of open.
"It's a good place for a camp," said the Mountain Wolf, looking around with approval.

"I believe they'll scarce venture to attack us here." "But there are the owls," said Robert.

"They're at least thinking about it." The long mournful cry came from the depths of the forest, and then it was repeated a second and a third time at other points.
"The owls that send forth those calls," said Robert, "don't sit on the boughs of trees." "No," said Rogers; "it's the warriors, not a doubt of it, and they'll be stealing in on us before long." But several hours passed before there was any stir in the forest beyond the open.

Then a rifle cracked there, but no one heard the impact of the bullet.