sed and the wind roared, but there was no rain. The country grew
rougher. The underbrush at times was very dense, and one sharp little
stony hill succeeded another. The running was hard.

Henry was growing angry. He resented this tenacious pursuit. It had
been so unexpected, and the uncanny dog had been so great a weapon
against them. He began to feel now that they had run long enough. They
must make a stand and the difficult country would help them.

"Boys," he said, "we've run enough. I'm in favor of dropping down behind
these rocks and fighting them off. What do you say?"

All were for it, and in a moment they took shelter. The heavy clouds and
the forest about them made the air dim, but their eyes were so used to
it that they could see anyone who approached them, and they were glad
now that they had decided to put the issue to the test of battle. They
lay close together, watching in front and also for a flank movement, but
for a while they saw nothing. The hound had ceased to bay, but, after a
while, both Henry and Sol saw a rustling among the bushes, and they knew
that the savages were at hand.

But of all the watchers at that moment Silent Tom Ross was the keenest.
He also occupied himself busily for a minute or so in drawing the bullet
from his rifle. Henry did not notice him until this task was almost
finished.

"Why, in the name of goodness, Tom," he exclaimed, "are you unloading
your rifle at such a time?"

Tom looked up. The veteran scout's eyes shone with grim fire.

"I know what I'm doin'," he said. "Mebbe I'm the only one in this crowd
who knows what ought to be did. I'm not unloadin' my rifle, Henry. I'm
jest takin' out one bullet an' puttin' in another in its place. See
this?"

He held up a small disc that gleamed in the dim light.

"That," said Tom, "is a silver bullet. It's flat an' it ain't shaped
like a bullet, but it's a bullet all the same. I've been cuttin' it out
uv a silver sixpence, an' now it exactly fits my rifle. You an' Sol--an'
I ain't sayin' anything ag'in' your marksmanship--could shoot at that
dog all day without hurtin' him, but I'm goin' to kill him with this
silver bullet."

"Don't talk foolishness, Tom," said Henry.

"You'll see," said the veteran in a tone of such absolute conviction
that the others could not help being impressed. Tom curled himself up
behind one rock, and in front of another. Then he watched with the full
intensity that the danger and his excitement d