boy," said Shif'less Sol, sympathetically, "I hope he'll enjoy his
nap."

"Hope the same fur me," said Long Jim, "'cause I'm goin' to foller him
in less than two minutes."

Jim Hart made good his words. Within the prescribed time a snore, not
loud nor disagreeable, but gentle and persistent, rose on the night air.
One by one the others also fell asleep, all except Henry, who forced
himself to keep awake, and who was also pondering the question of
Timmendiquas. What were the great chief's plans? What vast scheme had
been evolved from the cunning brain of that master Indian? And how were
the five--only five--to defeat it, even should they discover its nature?

The light wind blew through all the rest of the night. The foliage
became dry, but the earth had been soaked so thoroughly with water that
it remained heavy with damp. The night was bright enough for him to
observe the faces of his comrades. They were sleeping soundly and
everyone was ruddy with health.

"That was certainly a wonderful hot bath," said Henry to himself, as he
looked at the pool. He moved a little in his blanket, tested his muscles
and found them all flexible. Then he watched until the first tinge of
gray appeared in the east, keeping his eyes upon it, until it turned to
silver and then to rose and gold, as the bright sun came. The day would
be clear and warm, and, after waiting a little longer, he awakened the
others.

"I think you'd better dress for breakfast," he said.

Their clothing was now thoroughly dry, and they clothed themselves anew,
but breakfast was wholly lacking. They had eaten all the venison, and
every man had an aching void.

"The country hez lots o' deer, o' course," said Shif'less Sol, "but jest
when you want one most it's pretty shore that you can't find it."

"I'm not so certain about that," said Henry. "When you find a hot spring
you are pretty likely to find a mineral spring or two, also, especially
one of salt."

"And if it's salt," finished Paul, "we'll see the deer coming there to
drink."

"Sound reasonin'," said Tom Ross.

They began the search. About a hundred yards east of the hot spring they
found one of sulphur water, and, two hundred yards further, one of salt.
Innumerable tracks beside it showed that it was well patronized by the
wilderness people, and the five, hiding in a clump of bushes at a point
where the wind would not betray them, bided their time. Some small
animals came down to drink at the hea