s.
All the warriors had heard the rifle shots and they knew now just about
where the fugitives were. The cry of an owl has a singularly weird and
haunting quality, and when so many of them came together, coming as the
five knew, from the throats of those who meant them death, its effect
was appalling even upon such hardy souls as theirs.

"I wish they'd stop them cries," growled Long Jim. "They git into my
bones, an' give me a sort uv creepy weakness 'bout the knees."

"Don't let your knees buckle," said Shif'less Sol. "Good knees are
mighty important, jest now, 'cause you know, Jim, we'll hev to make a
pow'ful good run fur it, an' ef your legs give out I'll hev to stay back
with you."

"I know you would, Sol, but that creepy feelin' 'bout my knees don't
weaken the muscles an' j'ints. Runnin' is my strongest p'int."

"I know it. I don't furgit the time your runnin' saved us all when the
emigrant train wuz surrounded by the tribes."

"Down!" suddenly called Henry, and the five dropped almost flat, but
without noise, in the bushes. Two dusky figures, evidently scouts, were
running directly across their line of flight about fifty yards ahead of
them. But Henry was quite sure that the two warriors had not seen them
and the five, lying close and scarcely breathing, watched the dusky
figures. The warriors paused a moment or two, looked about them, but,
seeing nothing went on, and were quickly lost to sight in the brush.

"It was lucky," said Henry, as they rose and resumed their flight, "that
the warriors didn't look more closely. I think fortune is favoring us."

"It ain't fortune or luck," said Shif'less Sol. "It's jedgment, an' our
long an' hard trainin'. I tell you jedgment is a power."

A fierce yell arose behind them, a yell full of savagery and triumph.

"They've hit our trail in the moonlight," said Henry, "and as we have no
time to dodge or lie in cover, there's nothing to do but run faster."

"An' keep a good lookout to both right an' left," said Shif'less Sol.
"They're comin' now from all directions."

The owls now began to hoot in great numbers, and with extraordinary
ferocity. The cry made upon Paul's sensitive mind an impression that
never could be effaced. He associated it with cruelty, savagery and
deadly menace. His ear even multiplied and exaggerated the sinister
calls. The woods were filled with them, they came from every bush, and
the menacing circle was steadily and surely drawing closer.

He