came up, floated a moment or two with the
current and then sank back again. The other warriors, appalled, climbed
back hastily, while from the bushes that fronted the ford below came a
series of triumphant and tremendous shouts, as Long Jim, hearing the
shot, poured forth all the glory of his voice.

Truly he surpassed himself. His earlier performance was dimmed by his
later. The thickets, where he ranged back and forth, shouting his
triumphant calls, seemed to be full of armed men. His voice sank a
moment and then came the report of a shot down the stream, followed by
the death cry. Long Jim knew that it was Shif'less Sol or Silent Tom who
had pulled the fatal trigger and he began to sing of that triumph also.
Clear and full his voice came once more, moving rapidly from point to
point, and Henry in his covert laughed to himself, and with
satisfaction, at the long man's energy and success.

The great youth did not fail to watch the opposite shore, quite sure
that the party would not retire with the loss of a single warrior, but
would make an attempt elsewhere. His eyes continually searched the
thickets, but they were so dense that they disclosed nothing. Then he
moved slowly up the stream, believing that they would go farther for the
second trial, and he was rewarded by the glimpse of a feather among the
trees. That feather, he knew was interwoven with a scalp lock, and, as
the slope of the bank there was gradual, he was sure that they were
coming.

It seemed to Henry that verily the fates fought for him. He knew that
they were going to try the crossing there, and they would be easy prey
to the concealed marksman. Even as he knelt he heard Long Jim's voice
raised again in his mighty song of triumph, and although he could not
hear the shot now, he was certain that the rifle of Silent Tom or
Shif'less Sol had found another victim. So they, too, were guarding the
ford well, and he smiled to himself at the courage and skill of the
invincible pair.

He saw another scalp lock appear, then another and another, until they
were eight in all. The warriors remained for several minutes partly
hidden, scanning the opposite shore, and then one only emerged into full
view, as if he were feeling the way for the others. Henry changed his
tactics, and, instead of waiting for the man to begin the descent of the
cliff, fired at once. The warrior fell back in the bushes, where his
body lay hidden, but the others set up the death cry, a