might have searched the
whole continent, and we couldn't have discovered a better refuge, for
our purpose. I know we can lie hid here a long time and let them hunt
us."

Shif'less Sol began to laugh, not loud, but with great intensity, and
his laugh was continued long.

"What you laffin' at, you Sol Hyde?" asked Long Jim suspiciously.

"Not at you, Jim," replied the shiftless one. "I wuz thinkin' 'bout them
renegades, Wyatt and Blackstaffe. I would shorely like to see 'em now,
an' look into thar faces, an' behold 'em wonderin' an' wonderin' what
hez become o' us that they expected to ketch between thar fingers, an'
squash to death. They look on the earth, an' they don't see no trail o'
ourn. They look in the sky an' they don't see us flyin' 'roun' anywhar
thar. The warriors circle an' circle an' circle an' they don't put their
hands on us. That ring is tight an' fast, an' we can't break out o' it.
We ain't on the outside o' it, an' they can't find us on the inside o'
it. So, whar are we? They don't know but we do. We hev melted away like
witches. Them renegades is shorely hoppin', t'arin' mad, but the madder
they are the better we like it. 'Scuse me, Jim, while I laff ag'in, an'
it wouldn't hurt you, Jim, if you wuz to laff with me."

"I think I will," said Long Jim, and action followed word. Later in the
day Henry and Paul penetrated a short distance deeper into the swamp,
but did not find another oasis like theirs. The entire area seemed to be
occupied by mire and ponds and thickets of reeds and cane, mingled with
briars. They stirred up another black bear, but they did not get a
chance for a shot at him, and they also saw the footprints of a panther.
They returned to the oasis satisfied with their exploration. The
swampier the swamp and the greater its extent the safer they were.

That night as they slept under the trees they were awakened by the
rushing of many wings. When they sat up they found the sky dark above
them, although the moon was shining and all the stars were out. It was a
flight of wild pigeons and they had settled in countless thousands on
the trees of the oasis. The five with sticks knocked off as many as they
thought they could use, and stored them for the night in the hut. They
devoted the next day to picking and dressing their spoils, the living
birds having gone on, and on the following day, Henry, who had entered
the swamp on another trip of exploration, returned with the most welcome
news