The chief gave a loud call.

This call was heard by all of the Indian people in the village, but only the men responded to it because the women did not take part in warfare.

They came from all directions, running toward their chief.

How quickly they gathered the cedar logs and branches and lighted the fire! Then they sat around the fire and listened to the chief who spoke to them.

They were very silent and grave because they knew that trouble was upon them.

Suddenly they stretched their bodies face downward on the ground and asked for help and strength from the Great Spirit.

Their chief had told them that he feared that the enemy might be upon them at any moment. He had heard strange sounds in the distance which told him that the enemy were astir. He thought it wise to send men to the distant hill, which had an outlook over the surrounding country.

These watchers were to signal him by means of a fire on the top of the hill. If the signal should be a bright light it would tell them that the enemy was approaching, but if they saw smoke they would know that they were safe from the attack for the night.

The Indians knew that if they were attacked that night, and if they were not prepared for the attack, their whole village would be destroyed.

Others of the Indians stationed themselves here and there to keep watch.

Some of them in their birch-bark canoes watched from the river. How gracefully they glided to and fro on the peaceful river!

The chief approached the camp fire and threw a cedar mat upon it.

He did this so that he might more easily see the signal fire from yonder hill.

All was very quiet while the Indians waited patiently through the long night.

The kindly moon and the tiny stars looked down upon them seeming to say, “Be of good cheer. The Great Spirit will protect you.”

Through the long night they watched and waited. Silently they smoked their long pipes while they looked anxiously toward the distant hill.

The river looked beautiful in the still night. What a terrible thing it would be if the enemy should attack this peaceful village!

Suddenly in the early morning the chief gave a loud shout, as he raised his arms to the Great Spirit. The signal from yonder hill had told him that all danger from the enemy was passed.

The enemy was not approaching their village, but had gone in the opposite direction.

Wearily the Indians wandered toward their wigwams.

The men from the river had been watching also. When they saw the smoke they paddled toward the shore. How lightly and easily they pulled their canoes up on the river bank!

These bark canoes were very light and strong. The Indians made their canoes by stretching the bark from the birch tree over a frame of pine wood. Then they fastened the bark to the frames with the roots of the spruce tree.

Mewanee had a canoe of his own and loved to paddle along this beautiful, bright, blue river.

One by one the Indian men entered their wigwams.

The chief was the last to leave. He still had fear of the enemy. Yet he knew that for that night there was no danger. He wondered where the enemy had gone, and if they had attacked another village.

At last all was quiet and this Indian village was at rest.