nry heard the heavy panting breaths behind him. They were bound to
grow weary before long. Even if one were made of steel he could not run
on forever. But he recalled that while they could not do so neither
could the warriors. His keen ear noted that no cry of the owl came from
the point straight ahead, and he concluded therefore that the circle was
not yet complete. There was a break in the ring and he meant to drive
straight through it.

"Now, boys," he said, "slow up a little to let your breath come back,
then we'll make a great burst for it and break through."

Their pace sank almost to a walk, but the beat of their hearts became
more nearly regular, and strength came back. Meanwhile the cries of the
owls never ceased. They drummed incessantly on the ears of Paul, and
made a sort of fury in his brain. It was a species of torture that made
him rage more than ever against his pursuers.

They stopped in a clump of cane and watched a single warrior pass near.
When he was gone they stepped from the cane and began to run at high
speed toward the opening in the circle which Henry judged could not be
more than a hundred yards away. It was fortunate for them that the
forest here contained little undergrowth to impede them.

It was a great burst of speed to make after so long a flight, but the
brief rest had helped them greatly, and they spurned the earth behind
them. Now the Indian warriors caught sight of them, and rifles flashed
in the night. The last owl ceased to hoot, and instead gave forth the
war hoop. The forest rang with fierce yells, many anticipating a triumph
not yet won. Many shots were fired on either flank, and leaves and
twigs fell, but the five, bending low, fled on and did not yet reply.

The young leader in those desperate moments was cool enough to see that
no shots came from the point straight ahead, making it sure that the
opening was still there. He counted, too, on the dusk and the generally
poor markmanship of the savages. A single glance backward showed him
that none of his comrades was touched. Farther away on either side he
saw the leaping forms of the warriors and then the flash of their wild
shots. And still his comrades and he were untouched.

"Now, boys," he cried, "let out the last link in the chain!" and the
five bounded forward at such speed that the Indians in the dusk could
not hit the flying targets, and, still untouched they drove through the
opening, and beyond. But the warriors b