He also told himself over and over again that they were in a position of great danger, that he must be on guard, that he must not leave the duty to the Onondaga alone.

Such violent efforts gradually drove sleep away, and raising his head a few inches he looked over the rise.
The whole surface of the river still showed clearly in the moonlight, as it flowed slowly and peacefully on, silver in tint most of the time, but now and then disclosing shades of deep blue.

Directly opposite was the clump of bushes in which the slaver and the spy had pushed their boat.
An easy shot for a rifle, but a hard one for a pistol.
Robert studied the bushes very closely, trying to discern their enemies among them, but he saw nothing there save a slight movement of the leaves before the wind.

It was possible that his foes had slipped away, going up the other bank in some manner unseen.

Since he could discover no trace of them he began to believe that it was true, and he raised his head another inch for a better look.
Crack! went the rifle, and the bullet sang so close to his face that at first he thought he was hit.