le you ever leave over, Jim," said the shiftless one.
"Besides, there's a dif'rence between you an' me talkin'. When I talk
I'm always sayin' somethin'; but yourn is jest a runnin' gabble, like
the flowin' uv a creek, always the same an' meanin' nothin'."

"Well," said Henry, "we've had plenty of good fat turkey, an' it was
cooked mighty fine, in Long Jim's best style, but there's some left,
which I think we'd better pack in our knapsacks for tomorrow."

After putting away the food for a later need, they carefully smothered
the last coal of the fire, and then, as a precaution, should the flame
have been seen by any wandering warrior, they moved a mile farther west
and sat down in a little hollow where they remained until well past
midnight, all sleeping save a guard of one, turns being taken. About two
o'clock in the morning they started again, traveling at great speed, and
did not stop until noon of the next day. They delayed only a half-hour
for food, water and rest, and pressed on at the long, running walk of
the border that put miles behind them at an amazing rate.

Late in the afternoon they came to high hills clothed, like the rest of
the country, in magnificent forest, and, while the others watched below,
Henry climbed the tallest tree that he could find. The sun was
declining, but the east was yet brilliant, and he saw faintly across it
a dark line that he had expected. The great Indian camp surely lay at
the base of the dark line, and when he descended he and his comrades
began to curve toward the east.

Morning would find them ahead of the Indian army, and between it and the
settlements. Every one of them felt a thrill of excitement, even
elation. The forging of the new link in the chain was proceeding well,
and brilliant success gives wonderful encouragement. They did not know
just what they would do next, but four trusted to the intuition and
prowess of their daring young leader.

Their minds were at such high tension that they did not sleep much that
night, and when dawn came again they had traveled so far that they
calculated they had arrived at the right point of the circle. It was a
question, however, that could be decided easily. Henry again climbed the
highest tree in the vicinity, and looking toward the north now saw the
smoke of the same campfire apparently three or four miles away.

"Are they thar, Henry?" asked Shif'less Sol, as he climbed down.

"Yes. They haven't moved since sundown yesterd