y still cursed under his breath, and bemoaned
the fate that had befallen him. It seemed a cruel jest that he, who had
served in Flanders and Germany, in open country that had been civilized
many centuries, should be sent from Detroit to march as an ally of
savages in that enormous and unknown wilderness.

The cry of the owl came from a point straight ahead, and not more than
four hundred yards away. Not a savage moved. But Alloway's whole frame
shook with furious anger. It was preposterous that they should be
harried so on their march by a single enemy. Once more he turned to
Wyatt and said:

"Can't we spread out in some manner and catch this impudent fellow? Are
thirty men to be driven all night through the woods by a single border
rover?"

"I can put your question to the chiefs," Wyatt replied, "but I doubt
whether anything will come of it."

He talked a little with Yellow Panther and Red Eagle and found that they
were willing to try again. They were pursued by a devil, but, mysterious
as he was, they would send forth the warriors, and perhaps they might
trap him. They gave the signal and a dozen savages plunged at once into
the bush, spreading out like a fan, and advancing toward the point from
which the owl had sent his haunting cry.

The others waited a long time by the creek, and Alloway's rage still
burned. It was past endurance that a gentleman and an officer should be
hunted through the woods in such a manner, insulted even by a bullet
through his fine cocked hat, and hope being the father of belief, he was
sure that the warriors would finish him this time.

He heard a sudden sharp report in the woods behind them, on the other
side of the creek that they had crossed, and a bullet buried itself in
the tree against which he was leaning, not very far from his face. He
uttered a deep oath, but Yellow Panther and Red Eagle signaled to their
forces to take the trail once more. The one in whom the Evil Spirit
dwelled and who had come to mock them could not be caught. They would
waste no more time, but would march as fast as they could to the main
camp. They sent out cries that called in the warriors and then they set
off at a great pace.

But all through the remainder of the night the Evil Spirit hung upon
them, sometimes beside them, and sometimes behind them, and the terror
of the warriors grew. Upon more than one face the war paint was damp
with perspiration, and Colonel Alloway, his red face dripping, was