He ran at once to the look-out, and though the smoke almost blinded him he observed all their movements.

He wanted them away speedily, so that he and Joe might extinguish the fire if that were still possible, and as every minute served to increase the difficulty and lessen the chances of doing so, the loitering of the savages seemed interminable.

They stopped first to drink at the spring.

Then they amused themselves by throwing sticks, and pebbles and shells at a turtle which was sunning himself on a log in the stream.

Then they stopped to examine the track of a turkey or of some animal, in the sand, and it really seemed to Tom that they did not mean to go away at all.
All things have an end, however, and even the stay of disagreeable visitors cannot last always.