berately placed one on top of another in the form of a building. To
all appearances, the passage had only one entrance, and it was not until
Dusty Star had crept to the extreme end that he found another opening so
thickly covered with ferns and brambles that it could not be seen by any
one on the outer side. He parted the undergrowth with the utmost care
and looked out. Almost immediately afterwards he saw what made his heart
beat with renewed fear. He saw an Indian leave the cover of the trees
and advance quickly towards the rocks. He was followed by another, and
yet another. Dusty Star counted five in all. Before he could tell
exactly what part of the rocks they were making for, they disappeared.

After that, he lay perfectly still trembling at the lightest sound.

All at once he was conscious of a shadow which darkened the passage. He
looked up and saw, through the fern, an Indian apparently gazing
straight down at him.

Dusty Star knew only too well what an Indian's eye can see, in spite of
leafy coverings; and because he could observe every detail of the tall
figure towering above him in the light, it seemed almost impossible that
he himself could escape detection. He lay stiff with fear, scarcely
daring to take breath, while those moments of terrible suspense passed
slowly one by one and he dreaded that the next would bring his doom.

He closed his eyes, lest even the flicker of an eyelid should betray
him, and waited helplessly for the worst. When at length he found
courage to open them again, the Indian had gone.

The shadow of the wilderness had saved him; the ancient darkness that is
darker than men's cunning in a shadow-casting land.

For a long time he did not dare to move. When at last he crept from his
hiding-place, the afternoon was well advanced. He moved from point to
point with the utmost caution, but could see no trace of his enemies.
That, however, as he well knew, did not mean that they were gone. That
things were out of sight only too often meant that they were very close
at hand. Yet, in spite of the danger of continuing his flight, Dusty
Star decided to take the risk, in case the Indians should return and
make a more thorough search among the rocks. He travelled on as swiftly
as he dared, keeping his eyes to the utmost on the alert.

It was only the merest motion of a fir-branch well to the right, such as
might have been caused by the weight of a perching bird, or the movement
of the breeze