scured even the feeble light
which fell from the stars. Leaning on the neck of his horse, the old man
muttered--

"Where is my pup? Where is it--Hector--where is it, dog?"

The hound caught the well-known sounds, and answered by a whine of
friendship, which threatened to break out into one of his piercing
howls. The trapper was in the act of raising himself from this
successful exploit, when he felt the hand of Weucha grasping his throat,
as if determined to suppress his voice by the very unequivocal process
of strangulation. Profiting by the circumstance, he raised another
low sound, as in the natural effort of breathing, which drew a second
responsive cry from the faithful hound. Weucha instantly abandoned his
hold of the master in order to wreak his vengeance on the dog. But the
voice of Esther was again heard, and every other design was abandoned in
order to listen.

"Ay, whine and deform your throats as you may, ye imps of darkness," she
said, with a cracked but scornful laugh; "I know ye; tarry, and ye shall
have light for your misdeeds. Put in the coal, Phoebe; put in the coal;
your father and the boys shall see that they are wanted at home, to
welcome their guests."

As she spoke, a strong light, like that of a brilliant star, was seen
on the very pinnacle of the rock; then followed a forked flame, which
curled for a moment amid the windings of an enormous pile of brush,
and flashing upward in an united sheet, it wavered to and fro, in
the passing air, shedding a bright glare on every object within its
influence. A taunting laugh was heard from the height, in which the
voices of all ages mingled, as though they triumphed at having so
successfully exposed the treacherous intentions of the Tetons.

The trapper looked about him to ascertain in what situations he might
find his friends. True to the signals, Middleton and Paul had drawn
a little apart, and now stood ready, by every appearance, to commence
their flight at the third repetition of the cry. Hector had escaped his
savage pursuer, and was again crouching at the heels of his master's
horse. But the broad circle of light was gradually increasing in extent
and power, and the old man, whose eye and judgment so rarely failed him,
patiently awaited a more propitious moment for his enterprise.

"Now, Ishmael, my man, if sight and hand ar' true as ever, now is the
time to work upon these Redskins, who claim to own all your property,
even to wife and childre