stepped aside McKay looked again for the puzzling
bole.

It was gone.

With a bound the captain was up and dashing toward the tree, drawing his
pistol as he ran. But within three strides he went down. A tough vine,
unnoticed on the ground, looped snakily around one ankle and threw him
hard. His gun flew from his hand. As he fell a tiny whispering sound
flitted past, followed by a small blow somewhere behind him. Ensued a
gruff grunt from Tim and the swift clatter of a breech bolt.

Raging, McKay kicked his foot loose and heaved himself up. Empty handed,
he continued his rush for the tree. But when he reached it he found
nothing behind it. If anything had been there it now was gone, and the
vacant shadows beyond were as inscrutable as ever.

Feet padded behind him and Tim and Knowlton halted on either side. A
moment of silent searching, and Tim broke into reproach.

"Cap, don't never do that again! If ye take a tumble in my line o' fire,
for the love o' Mike stay down till I shoot! I come so near drillin' ye
when ye hopped up that I'm sweatin' blood right now."

In truth, the veteran was pale around the mouth and his broad face was
beaded with cold drops.

"I seen more 'n one time in France when I felt like shootin' my s'perior
officer, but I never come so near doin' it as jest now. I had finger to
trigger and had took up the slack, and a hair's weight more pull would
have spattered yer head all around. And besides givin' me heart failure
ye let that guy git away. We'll never find him--"

"You saw him?" McKay cut in.

"I seen somethin' beyond ye--couldn't make out what 'twas, but from the
way ye was goin' over the top I knowed it must be a man. And then when
the arrer come--"

"Arrow?"

"Sure. Missed ye when ye took that flop, and stuck in the tree over
yonder. What'd ye rush the guy for, anyways? Whyn't ye drill him from
where ye was?"

In the reaction from his sudden fright Tim was as wrathfully ready to
"bawl out" his captain as if he were some raw rookie. McKay, with a cool
smile, explained his abrupt action, meanwhile reconnoitering the dimness
for any further sign of the vanished assailant. None showed.

While Tim stood vigilant guard the other two stooped and moved around
the base of the tree, narrowly examining the ground. Beyond it they
paused at one spot, fingered the soil lightly, and lit a match or two.

"No ghost," said Knowlton. "Barefoot man. Didn't leave much trace, but
enough to show h