aptain Dawson had begun to entertain doubts of the loyalty
of his guide.

"He'll never repeat his trick anyway," exclaimed the officer, facing
about and bringing his rifle to his shoulder. But his intention of
shooting Timon was frustrated, for the brute was nowhere in sight.
Unreasonable as it might sound, it looked as if he suspected how
things would turn out and took the occasion to place himself beyond
danger from the indignant men.

"In the army we shoot spies and traitors," remarked the captain, so
angered by his repeated disappointments that he could not govern his
feelings. In giving expression to the remark, the officer made a
serious mistake, which he saw the moment the words left his lips. He
was suspicious of Vose Adams, but he should have concealed all
evidence of it, until the proof appeared. When that took place, he
would shoot the man with no more hesitation that he would have shot
the dog. But he had now put Vose on his guard and the difficulty of
detecting him was increased tenfold.

As if to obliterate the memory of his words, the captain said in the
most matter of fact tone he could assume:

"The mistake we made has taken us from the right spot; they must have
been near the rocks where Timon showed himself."

"No doubt," said the parson, "and were watching us."

"The one thing to do is to retrace our steps; perhaps the two may be
fools enough," bitterly added the captain, "to wait for us, since that
seems to be the only way by which we shall ever come up with them."

A single short bark startled them. The captain wheeled like a flash
with his gun at his shoulder. But Timon was too cunning to show
himself. It is not improbable that he meant the expression for a note
of triumph over his inimitable exploit, while such a wonderful dog was
too wise to run any risk of punishment from his indignant victims.

The hunter is sustained against fatigue by the excitement of the
chase; and, despite the severe labor of following the canine guide,
all four men stood it far better than the return to the spot where the
pursuit began. Angered, chagrined and in desperate mood, even the grim
leader was forced occasionally to stop and rest. Nearly two hours
passed before they descried the familiar pile of rocks in their
front.

"That's the spot," he said, "but what good can it do us? It's a wonder
if they have not run off with our horses; it would be a fitting climax
to this folly."

It was the secret wish of