nd his spirits
rose. Much of the gloom departed from the forest. The thunder that had
kept up a continuous low rolling, like a dirge, died away, and the
lightning, after a few more weak and ineffectual flashes, ceased.

"We won't have any further trouble to-night, that's sure," said Henry.
"They could not possibly find our trail before day, and I think we'd
better push on, as nearly as we can, in the direction of our hidden
powder. You know we still mean to do what we started out to do."

They traveled all night, with brief periods of rest, through rough and
densely wooded country. Toward morning the rain ceased, and the clouds all
floated away. The stars came out in a clear sky, and a warm wind blew over
the wet forest. Henry looked more than once at Paul, and his look was
always full of sympathy. Paul's face was pale, but his expression was set
in firm resolve, and Henry knew that he would never yield.

After a while the dark began to lighten, and Henry stopped short in
surprise. Paul was walking in such automatic fashion that he almost ran
against him before he stopped. Henry pointed with a long forefinger to a
red spot deep in the forest.

"See that?" he said.

"Yes, I guess it's the sun rising," said Paul, who was staggering a
little, and who saw through a cloud, as it were.

Henry looked at him and laughed.

"The sun!" he said. "Well, Paul, it's the first time I ever knew the sun
to rise in the west."

"The sun's likely to do anything out here where we are," rejoined Paul.

"That's a fire, a camp fire, Paul," said Henry, "and I'm thinking it must
be made by white men."

"White men! Friends!" exclaimed Paul. He stood up straight, and his eyes
grew brighter. An hour or two ago it had scarcely seemed possible to him
that they should ever see white faces again.

"It's only my belief," said Henry. "We've got to make sure. Now, you wait
here, Paul, and I'll do a little bit of scouting. Sit down among those
bushes there and I'll be back soon."

Paul was fully content to do what Henry said. He found a good place in a
thick clump of underbrush, and sank down easily. He would have been quite
willing to lie down, because he was terribly tired and sleepy, but with an
effort he held himself to a sitting posture and watched Henry. He was
conscious of a vague admiration as the tall form of his comrade went
forward swiftly, making no noise and hiding itself so quickly in the
forest that he could not tell where it ha