nly relaxed and lay still, but
the other sprang to its feet.

It was Tom Ross who arose, and a cry of relief, low, but very deep,
broke from each of the spectators. But Tom had not gone unscathed. The
blade of the warrior had ripped open all the clothing on his left
shoulder and had also cut deep into the flesh. Already the black blood
was dripping upon the leaves.

"Bound to weaken me, an' I must stop somewhar to tie it up," said Tom
tersely. "You two go on."

"We'll come back for you, too, Tom," said Henry, deeply moved, knowing
how much it cost Silent Tom Ross to fall by the way.

"I turn to the east," said Tom. "I'll be restin' somewhar in the woods."

He slid away through the bushes and in an instant was gone. Henry, in
order to keep the pursuit in the main channel and let the departure of
Tom Ross pass unnoticed, sent back a fierce and challenging cry, the
first that the fugitives had given forth that night. It was answered
instantly from a point very near, the triumphant shout issuing from the
throats of men who believed their victory sure and at hand.

"We must reach the Ohio, Sol," said Henry, "you and I, or you or I."

"Both or one," said Shif'less Sol. "Come on."

His face was upturned a little and, although there was no moonlight now,
Henry saw it clearly. There was nothing of listlessness or despair in
the face of the shiftless one. The look of exaltation that sometimes
came upon him shone from his eyes. Dauntless and true, he would remain
to the last.

"Thar's a gleam among the trees," he said ten minutes later, "an' it
looks like water."

"It must be the Ohio! It surely is the Ohio!" said Henry. "We must swim
for it, Sol."

The shiftless one only nodded in reply, but both as they ran tied their
ammunition again around their necks, seeing at the same time that their
powder horns were stopped up tightly. The trees thinned fast, open muddy
ground appeared, and before them stretched a broad yellow current, the
Ohio. They called up the last reserve of their strength and ran as
swiftly as they could over the moist, sinking earth. But they were now
visible to their pursuers, who had not yet emerged from the forest, and
more bullets were fired.

"Are you hit, Sol?" asked Henry, anxiously of his comrade.

"No," replied the shiftless one. "Too dark fur 'em to take good aim."

The river seemed to widen as they approached it. It might be narrow
enough somewhere near here for cannon to command it, but