nding as before,
and they were satisfied. Not a doubt remained in the heart of any one of
them. The shiftless one was safe and he had twice told them so. How
could they ever have thought that he would allow himself to be trapped
so easily? The savages might dance on and sing on as much as they
pleased, but it did not matter now.

"After lookin' at them gyrations," said Long Jim, "I needs refreshment.
A dancin' an' singin' party always makes me hungry. Will you j'in me in
a ven'son an' water banquet, me noble luds?"

"Go ahead the rest o' you," said Tom Ross, "I'll watch."

They drank from the rill, lay down on their couches and ate the deer
meat with splendid appetites. The revulsion was so great that anything
would have been good to them.

"That wuz a purty smart trick, after all," said Long Jim. "Ef they'd
made us think they'd got Shif'less Sol's scalp they'd make us think,
too, that they'd git our own soon. An' they reckoned then, mebbe, that
we'd be so weak-sperrited we'd come out an' surrender."

"I foresee another dull and long period of inaction," said Henry.

And what he said came to pass. They remained two more days in their
little fortress, besieged so closely that they did not dare to move.
Yet the besiegers themselves were kept in a constant state of alarm. One
of their best hunters, sent out for deer, failed to come back, and his
body was found in the forest. The others began to be oppressed by
superstitious fears, and it required all of Wyatt's eloquence and force
to keep them to their task.

It was in Henry's mind to wait for a wet night and then risk all and go.
It was the rainy time of the year, and on their sixth night in the
cavern the storm that they wished for so earnestly came, preceded by the
usual heralds, deep thunder and vivid lightning.

The four made ready swiftly. Every one carried upon his back his blanket
and a large supply of venison. The locks of rifles and other weapons and
powder were kept dry under their hunting shirts. Henry thrust the extra
rifle into a crevice, having an idea that he might need it some day, and
would find it there. Then as the thunder and lightning ceased and the
deep darkness and rushing rain came they took a last look at the strong
little castle that had been such a haven to them. Only eyes like theirs
trained to dusk could have made out its walls and roof and floor.

"It's like leaving home," said Paul.

"Thar's one good thing," said Long Jim. "The sa