paces over which it came. It seemed to be far behind
them, but inclining to the right, and after a few moments there came
another faint cry just like it, also behind them, but far to the left.
Despite the soft, wailing note both Henry and Paul felt a shiver run
through them. The strange low sound, coming in the utter silence of the
night, had in it something ominous.

"It was the cry of a wolf," said Paul.

"And his brother wolf answered," said Henry.

Shif'less Sol was just behind them, and they heard him laugh, a low
laugh, but full of irony. Paul wheeled about at once, his pride aflame
at the insinuation that he did not know the wolf's long whine.

"Well, wasn't it a wolf--and a wolf that answered?" he asked.

"Yes, a wolf an' a wolf that answered," replied Shif'less Sol with
sardonic emphasis, "but they had only four legs between 'em. Them was
the signal cries of the Shawnees, an', as Tom has been tellin' you all
the time, they're hot on our trail. It's a mighty lucky thing for us we
didn't undertake to stay all night back there where we stopped."

Paul turned pale again, but his courage as usual came back. "Thank God
it will be daylight soon," he murmured to himself, "and then if they
overtake us we can see them."

Faint and far, but ominous and full of threat came the howl of the wolf
again, first from the right and then from the left, and then from points
between. Henry noticed that Ross and Shif'less Sol seemed to draw
themselves together, as if they would make every nerve and muscle taut,
and then his eyes shifted to Mr. Pennypacker, and seeing him, he knew at
once that the master did not understand; he had not heard the words of
Shif'less Sol.

"It seems that we are pursued by a pack of wolves instead of a war
party," said Mr. Pennypacker. "At least we are numerous enough to beat
off a lot of cowardly four-footed assailants."

Henry smiled from the heights of his superior knowledge.

"Those are not wolves, Mr. Pennypacker," he said, "those are the
Shawnees calling to one another."

"Then, why in Heaven's name don't they speak their own language!"
exclaimed the exasperated schoolmaster, "instead of using that which
appertains only to the prowling beast?"

Henry, despite himself, was forced to smile, but he turned his face and
hid the smile--he would not offend the schoolmaster whom he esteemed
sincerely.

The dawn now began to brighten. The sun, a flaming red sword, cleft the
gray veil, and then