A calm stillness follows the skirmish and narrow escape of Hawkeye and the Mohicans in the previous chapter. Heyward guides Gamut into the cave and then obscures the entrance with piles of brush. He tries to keep their presence secret for as long as possible.
Because of the deafening noise of the falls around them, Gamut can sing a hymn without giving them away. His singing is interrupted by a fierce yell. Heyward says, "We are not yet discovered, and there is still hope." Despite Heyward's optimism, the Iroquois find Hawkeye's abandoned rifle and search the neighboring cave. The Iroquois leave without discovering them, so Heyward and the others are deeply relieved. Their relief, however, is short-lived. Finally, Magua finds the prize he has been seeking at the other entrance, and Heyward, Cora, Alice, and Gamut are captured.