nd Henry was so
sure that they would not try the crossing again soon--at least not
yet--that he went back to Paul's covert, and the two returned to Long
Jim. Shif'less Sol and Silent Tom were called in and the leader said:

"I think we've done all we can here. We've created the impression of a
great force to hold the ford. We've also made them think it can stretch
far enough to watch its wings. Four warriors just fallen prove that.
They'll probably send scouts miles up and down the stream to cross, and
then hunt us out, but that'll take time, until night at least, and maybe
they won't know positively until morning, because scouting in the
thickets in the face of an enemy is a dangerous business. So, I propose
that we use the advantage we've gained."

"In what way?" asked Paul.

"We'll go now. We don't want 'em to find out how few we are, and we
don't want 'em to learn, either, that we're we."

"That is, they must continue to think that we're behind 'em or on their
flanks, and that this is another and larger force in their front."

"That's the idea. What say you?"

"I'm for it," said Paul.

"Votin' ez a high private I say too, let's leg it from here," said Long
Jim.

"The jedgment o' our leader is so sound that thar ain't nothin' more to
say," quoth the shiftless one.

"Let's go," said Silent Tom.

Then the little band, five against a thousand, rifles against cannon,
that had victoriously held the ford, stole away with soundless tread
through the greenwood. But they did not travel southward long. When
darkness came they turned toward the east, and traveling many miles,
made camp as they had done once before on a little island in a swamp,
which they reached by walking on the dead and fallen trees of many
years. There when they sat down under the trees they could not refrain
from a few words of triumph and mutual congratulation, because another
and most important link in the chain had been forged with brilliant
success.

"Although it's dark and it's seven or eight miles away," said Shif'less
Sol, "I kin see that Indian army now, a-settin' before the ford, an'
wonderin' how it's goin' to git across."

"An' I kin hear that savage army now, movin' up an' down, restless
like," said Long Jim. "I kin hear them redcoat officers, an' them
renegades, an' them Injun chiefs, grindin' thar upper teeth an' thar
lower teeth together so hard with anger that they won't be able to eat
in the mornin'."

"And I can see thei