About
noon
He was glad when the bonds were cut and the party took up its westward march . The Indians , though somewhat quieter , displayed the same carelessness : they did not hurry , nor use particular caution , but selected the most open paths through the forest . They even halted while one of their number crept up on a herd of browsing deer . About noon the leader stopped to drink from a spring ; his braves followed suit and permitted the white prisoners to quench their thirst . When they were about to start again the single note of a bird far away in the woods sounded clearly on the quiet air . Joe would not have given heed to it had he been less attentive . He instantly associated this peculiar bird-note with the sudden stiffening of Silvertip 's body and his attitude of intense listening .