About midnight
All the next day they remained concealed in order to escape observation , and to allow the strange Indians to go far enough away so that they could proceed without being molested . Which way to journey next was a difficult question to them , but as it would be quite impossible to cross the barren , rocky hills before them , they finally determined to go down the stream until they came to the terminus of the hills that the chief had seen , and instead of crossing over as he had done to strike out into the woodland beyond the dell , and take their course on as far as it extended . Having made everything ready for an early start the next morning , they laid down to sleep . About midnight they were awakened by the blinding glare of torches , and found three hideous savages bending over them with raised tomahawks . Comprehending at once the nature of the assault , they sprang to their feet and attacked their assailants . The chief had the fortune to cleave the skull of the one nearest him at the first blow of his tomahawk , and turning , saw another who had the trapper at disadvantage , with tomahawk raised above his head , and with a dexterous blow he disabled the arm raised with the murderous weapon . In a moment he would have killed the Indian had not the screams of Jane , whom the remaining savage attempted to carry off in his arms after knocking Sidney senseless with his war-club , made him forget all else , and spring to her rescue .