he great sun blazing in red and gold in the west.
Henry, with all his lore of the forest and wilderness, never failed to
observe a brilliant sunset, and while he watched against an ambush he
also watched the deep, rich colors as they faded. The wind had blown
gently all day long, but now with the coming of the darkness it swelled
into the song which he alone heard, that playing of the breeze upon the
leaves, which his supersense translated into notes and bars and
harmonies. Whenever he heard it he was uplifted and exalted in a
singular manner, as if the distant heralds were already blowing the
trumpets of victory. He was sure now of success.

He and Long Jim kept the first watch, which would last until some time
after midnight, and he chose it for himself, because he felt certain the
attack would come before it was over. Paul and Tom went to sleep on the
leaves inside, but he and Jim lay down just within the door, where they
could see some distance and yet remain well sheltered. Now and then they
exchanged a word or two.

"It's eyes an' ears both, Henry," said Long Jim. "Uv course, they'll
come a-creepin', an' a-slidin', an' I reckon it'll be ears that'll tell
us fust they're a-knockin' at our front door."

"Right, Jim. Our ears have saved us more than once, and they're going
to do it again. I've an idea that they'll spread out and approach from
different points."

"I think it likely. Red Eagle, their leader, is a chief uv sense, and
he'll scatter his forces so we won't be able to concentrate our fire."

They waited a long time, the wind meanwhile blowing steadily, and
playing its song upon the leaves. There was no other sound, but, when it
was nearly midnight, a long howl, inexpressibly dreary and weird, came
out of the depths of the forest.

"That's a mighty lonely wolf," whispered Long Jim.

"Listen!" Henry whispered back. "That's no wolf. It's Shif'less Sol."

"Mebbe it's so, but he's shorely howlin' like the king of all wolves."

Long Jim was right. Perhaps no wolf had ever before howled with such
vigor and endurance. The long yelping, whining note filled the whole
valley and quivered on the air. It rose and sank and rose again, and it
was uncanny enough to make any ordinary hearer shiver to his bones.

"Now what in thunder does he mean by sech an awful howl ez that?"
whispered Long Jim.

"I know," replied Henry, with a flash of intuition. "He's hanging
somewhere on the outskirts of the Indian camp, and