vages in thar meanness
can't destroy it."

Henry led, and, Silent Tom bringing up the rear, they slipped into the
open air, keeping close to one another lest they be lost in the thick
darkness. Despite the pouring rain and the lash of the wind it felt good
out there. They had been so long in one small close place that it was
freedom to have again the whole open world about them. The four stood a
little while to breathe it in and then Henry led through the underbrush
to the top of the hill.

"Bend low," he whispered to Paul, who was just behind him. "They must
have a sentinel near here somewhere, and we don't want to run into him."

Paul obeyed him and went on, but none of them noticed that Tom Ross, who
was last, turned softly aside from the path, and then swung the butt of
his rifle with all his might. But all heard the impact and the sound of
a fall, and, as they whirled around, Henry asked:

"What is it?"

"The sentinel," replied Ross. "He won't bother us."

On they went in single file again, but Paul shuddered. As their flight
lengthened they increased their speed, and, when they were a half mile
away, Paul jumped, as the long piercing howl of the wolf rose directly
in front of him. It was Henry sending the signal to the shiftless one,
and in an instant they heard a similar note in answer from a distant
point.

As they advanced further the signals were repeated and then the
shiftless one came with swiftness and without noise through the bushes,
rising up like a phantom before them. There were happy handshakes and
the five, reunited once more, fled southward through the darkness and
rain.

"I thought you'd come out tonight, Henry," said Shif'less Sol. "An' I
wuz waitin' on the ridge 'til I heard your signal. Ain't it grand fur
all o' us to be together ag'in, an' to hev beat Braxton Wyatt?"

"It was you, Sol, who were our greatest help."

The shiftless one chuckled, pleased at the compliment.

"Guess I wuz the flyin' wing o' our little army," he said. "Mebbe Wyatt
an' them warriors will hang 'roun' thar two or three days afore they
find out we've gone."

"Not that long. The head of a warrior met Tom's clubbed rifle as we came
away, and if they don't find him tonight they certainly will in the
morning."

"I don't care anyway. That band can't overtake us, an' it can't trail us
on a night like this. Thar! They've found the warrior!"

The faint sound of a yell, more like an echo, came on the wind and rai