r sech wolf in the woods ez
Shif'less Sol."

A few more brief words and Henry and his comrade were gone, traveling at
a swift rate toward the Indian camp. Dark and the forest separated the
two from the three, but they could send their signal cries at any time
across the intervening space, and communication was not interrupted.
They advanced in silence several miles, and then they became very
cautious, because they knew that they were within the fringe of scouts
and hunters. With so many to feed it was likely that the Indians would
hunt by night, especially as the wild turkeys were numerous, and it was
easy to obtain them in the dark.

Both Henry and Shif'less Sol saw turkey signs, and their caution
increased, when they noticed a dozen dusky figures of large birds on
boughs near by, sure proof that the warriors would soon be somewhere in
the neighborhood, if they were not so already. They began to stoop now,
and use cover all the way, and presently Henry felt that their
precautions were well taken, as a faint but distant sound, not native to
the forest, came to his ear.

"There, Sol!" he whispered. "Did you hear it? To the right."

The shiftless one listened a moment or two and replied:

"Yes, I kin make it out."

"I say it's the twang of a bowstring, Sol."

"So do I, Henry."

"They're probably shooting the turkeys out of the trees with arrows.
Saves noise and their powder and lead, too."

"Wherein the Injun shows a heap o' sense, Henry."

"I can hear more than one bow twanging now, Sol. The turkeys must be
plentiful hereabouts, but even with bows and arrows only used against
'em they're bound to take alarm soon."

"Yes, thar go some o' 'em gobblin' now, an' they're flyin' this way."

They heard the whirr of wings carrying heavy bodies, and frightened
turkeys flew directly over their heads. As the Indians might come in
pursuit, Henry and Shif'less Sol lay down among the bushes. A shouting
broke out near them, and the forest, for a wide space, was filled with
the whirring of wings.

"The biggest flock o' wild turkeys that ever wuz must hev roosted right
'roun' us," said Shif'less Sol, "'cause I seem to see 'em by the
dozens."

"More likely fifteen or twenty flocks were scattered about through the
woods, and now they have all joined in a common flight."

"Mebbe so, but whether one flock or twenty j'ined, this is suttinly
Turkeyland. An' did you ever see sech fine turkeys. Look at that king
gobbler, Henr