HAPTER XIII

THE WHITE STALLION

Shif'less Sol led the way through the forest and four ghostly figures
followed in single file. They made no noise as they passed among the
cypresses and magnolias, and oaks of the drooping foliage. No one spoke,
but the leader laughed more than once in his throat, a laugh which never
passed the lips, but which was full of satisfaction nevertheless. He felt
that he, Solomon Hyde, nicknamed the shiftless one, had not lived in vain.
He had achieved the greatest triumph of a life already crowded with
dangers and deeds. To use the phrase of a later day, it was his crowded
hour, and his four comrades gave him all the honor and glory of it.

They came presently to a still, dark channel of water, the bayou, and
stopped on its bank. A light wind had risen, and as it blew among the
cypresses and magnolias and oaks of the drooping foliage, it blew the song
of the triumph of Shif'less Sol. The moonlight fell on his face now and as
his features drew into a smile he, at last, permitted himself to laugh
outright.

"It was wonderful, Sol," said Henry. "We always knew that you were near
us, and we knew, too, that because you were near us we were near to
freedom."

He stepped forward, grasped the hand of the shiftless one, and gave it a
fervent shake. Paul at once did the same, then followed Long Jim and Tom
Ross. Shif'less Sol's face became beatific. He had received his silent
tribute and it was enough. The flavor of it would be with him all the rest
of his life.

"What did you fellers think?" he asked, "when them two big knives came
fallin' down on the floor. I'd hev called to you, but I wuz afeard I'd
stir up them two sentinels on the other side of the house."

"We knew it was you, Sol," replied Paul, "and we knew then that our escape
was certain. Where did you get the knives?"

"I stole them from a tool house," replied Sol with pride. "I guess they
use 'em to cut cane with, or something like that."

"We certainly cut dirt with 'em at a great rate," said Henry, "and here we
are free, the five of us together again, but without arms except the two
knives you threw to us."

The moonlight was deepening and the shiftless one stood in the center of
it. His figure seemed suddenly to swell and the calm, victorious light of
the supreme conqueror came into his eyes.

"Boys," he said, and his voice was even and precise, as a victor's should
be, "when I undertook this here job o' settin' us on our f