motionless against the sky, looking like a
figure cut out of stone or bronze; now he shaded his eyes with his hand,
evidently gazing across the plain below; now he stooped and seemed to
examine the ground at his feet. But the shadow of the cowled and cloaked
figure stood statue-like and never moved.

Now, if you can so exercise your imagination as to put yourself in my
place, you will not be slow to recognize the terror which came over me
at this unexpected sight. If I had seen a dozen armed men spring out
upon us from the rocks I should have cared not. But to see these
sinister-looking shadows, motionless or restless, on the bright patch of
sunlight, was an awful thing--yea, to this day I do often see it in my
dreams, and wake sweating with fear and horror.

I leaned over and touched Pharaoh lightly. He woke on the instant and
sat up.

"Hush!" I whispered, pointing to the shadows. "Look there!"

He lifted his hand to his brow and gazed at the shadows with a
wonder-struck air. Then he seemed to recognize their import, and turned
to me with a shake of the head.

"Lad," said he, "we are about to have trouble. 'Tis that accursed
Familiar. He hath tracked us. Said I not that these devils in man's
shape are like sleuth-hounds?"

"But the other, Pharaoh? What is the other?"

"An Indian, lad. See there, he is stooping to examine the ground. They
are like dogs--they will find a trace where we should see naught."

"What shall we do?"

"God help us!--I know not. Once on our track they will hunt us down. See
there!"

To the two shadows was suddenly added a third, a fourth, a fifth, then a
sixth and seventh, and presently others until we counted twelve.

"All Indians except the monk," said Pharaoh. "He is the huntsman and
they are his dogs. See, they are separating again. Lad, get thy cudgel
in readiness. 'Tis the best weapon we have."

We started to our feet and gripped our staves firmly. And at the
prospect of a fight my terror died away. There was no ghostly fear about
things of flesh and blood. You can strike a man, but who can strike a
shadow?

At that moment, over a rock to our left, appeared the face of an Indian,
scarred and painted, a very devil's face to look at. We were seen at
last!

CHAPTER XI.

CAPTIVE.

As soon as the Indian's face appeared above the rock Pharaoh and I
instinctively moved towards him, whereupon he disappeared again with a
sudden sharp cry, which was immediately answered