as they
stepped behind trees to conceal themselves Shif'less Sol's foot suddenly
sank with a bubbling sound into an oozy spot. In an instant, all the
Indians stopped. Henry and his comrade heard rustling sounds for a
moment, and then there was complete silence. The two knew that the
warriors had taken to cover, and that probably they would not escape
without a fight. They were intensely annoyed as they wished to return to
Paul, Long Jim and Silent Tom.

The shiftless one withdrew his foot from the ooze, and he and Henry
crouched on dry ground, watching with eye and ear for any movement in
the thicket opposite. They knew that the warriors, with infinite
patience, were waiting in the same manner, and it was likely that the
delay would be long.

"Luck has turned ag'in us fur a little bit," whispered Shif'less Sol,
"but I can't think that after favorin' us fur so long it'll leave us fur
good."

"I don't think so either," said Henry. "I hear one of them moving."

"That bein' the case we'll lay nearly flat," said Shif'less Sol.

It was well they did so, as a rifle flashed in the thicket before them,
and a bullet cut the leaves over their heads. They did not reply, but
crept silently to one side. A few minutes later another bullet crashed
through the bushes at the same place, and this time Henry fired by the
flash. He heard a low cry, followed by silence and he was sure that his
bullet had struck a target. Shif'less Sol held his rifle ready in case a
rush should come, but there was none, and Henry reloaded rapidly.

A full half-hour of waiting followed, in which only a single shot was
fired, and that by the warriors, to go wide of the mark, as usual, and
the wrath of Henry and the shiftless one, at being held there so long,
became intense. It seemed the veriest piece of irony that this
unfortunate chance should have occurred, but Henry presently recalled
the arrangement they had made with the three, wondering why they had not
thought of it sooner.

"The warriors are before us," he whispered to Shif'less Sol, "and Long
Jim, Paul and Tom are behind us. They may have heard the rifle shots or
they may not, but at any rate there is something that will carry
further."

"You mean the howl of the wolf! O' course, that's our call to them."

"Yes, and if we bring 'em up it won't be hard to drive off this band."

"Let me give the signal then, Henry. Ef Long Jim is the best yeller
among us mebbe I'm the best howler. I'm right