Heyward has worked his way toward Uncas while the leaders of the Hurans hold a council inside the Indian lodge. Uncas whispers to Heyward that Hawkeye and Chingachgook are safe and that Heyward should not worry about him. Then Uncas tells him to leave so no one will suspect they know one another.

Heyward uses this opportunity to leave the lodge and wander throughout the village, searching for Alice. He looks into each of the huts but does not find her.

Discouraged, Heyward returns to the lodge and sits down at the back of the room so as to go unnoticed. He is not seated for very long when a tall Indian walks into the lodge and sits down beside Heyward. Immediately, Heyward is filled with fear. The Indian is Magua. Fortunately, Magua does not recognize Heyward because of the Indian paint on Heyward's face.

When Heyward looks around the room, it seems that Magua's presence has not been detected. Most of the elder chiefs are staring at the ground. Magua does not appear anxious to make his presence known, at least not yet.

Heyward senses that Magua has seen and identified Uncas, and Heyward is surprised that Magua remains so calm. It is not until Magua finishes smoking his pipe and patiently taps out the ashes that he begins a long, emotional argument against Uncas. 

First Magua calls Uncas by name, making the Hurons acknowledge the young man as not only a noble and courageous person but also the declared enemy of the Hurons and other tribes faithful to the French.

Magua reminds the Huron people of the many Indian men who have died at the hands of the British and Uncas. He also tells them that they must honor their dead, who have sacrificed their lives to fight the British. The way to honor them is to seek revenge. Uncas must therefore die.

Even after Magua's moving oratory, the decision about Uncas' fate still will have to wait until the next morning. So the Huron chiefs order that Uncas be taken away to a place where he will sleep under guard. Just before Uncas is taken out of the lodge, he briefly turns and gives a look of defiance to the Huron men, then a quick look at Heyward.

While the elders continue their council, Heyward leaves the lodge with one of the elder Huron men who has requested that Heyward attempt to heal his dying wife. The old man leads Heyward out of the village to the base of a nearby mountain. On their way into a cave in the side of the mountain, the old man and Heyward pass a large bear. Since the old man shows no fear of the animal, Heyward follows his example.

They enter the cave, inside which the treasures of the Huron are kept. In one of the interior rooms, Heyward sees the dying wife of the old man. Gamut is also there. He has been asked to sing over the woman, also in hopes of healing her.

When Gamut begins his song, everyone is stunned because the bear has come into the cave and appears to be making sounds that mimic Gamut singing. Gamut himself is so stunned that he stops singing and delivers a message out loud to Heyward, telling him that "she" expects him and that "she" is close at hand. Then Gamut leaves the cave. Readers are left to guess who this "she" must be.