as cunnin' as a kupple o'
possums, they can't a hide the track o' the berra; an' so long's they
keep in the timber, I kalklate I kin lift thar trail. I reck'n I ain't
quite forgot how: though I am bamfoozled a bit by these hyar parairies--
consarn them! Ah! them woods, capt'n! it diz one good to look at 'em!"

The eyes of the young hunter sparkled with enthusiasm as he spoke. It
was a real forest that was before us--a large tract covered with
gigantic cotton-wood trees, and the only thing deserving the name of
forest we had seen for many days. As my companion stood gazing upon it,
I could trace upon his countenance a joyous expression, that rarely
appeared there. The sight of the "Big Timbers" recalled to him the
forests of his own Tennessee--with happy memories of other times. They
were not unmingled with shadows of regret: as I could tell by the change
that came stealing over his features.

"We must try to overtake them," said I, without answering to the
ebullition. "It is important for us to come up with them. Even if they
be deserters, they are white men; and all whites are friends here. They
muster two guns; and if these fellows are what I take them to be, they
know how to handle them. We must follow them: there's no time to be
lost."

"Ye're right thar, capt'n! The night's a comin' down fast. It's
a'ready gettin' dark; an' I'm afeerd it'll be tough trackin' under the
timber. If we're to catch up wi' them the night, we hain't a minnit to
spare."

"Let us forward then!"

Crossing the ridge, we descended rapidly on the other side--the track of
the wheel guiding us in a direct line to the nearest point of the woods.
We could tell that the barrow had been trundled down the hill at top
speed--by the manner in which the iron tire had abraded the surface of
the slope. We had no difficulty in following the trace as far as the
edge of the timber, and for some distance into it: but there, to our
great surprise, the wheel-track abruptly ended! It was not that we had
lost it by its having passed over dry or rocky ground. On the contrary,
around the spot where it so suddenly disappeared, the surface was
comparatively soft; and even an empty barrow would have made an
impression sufficiently traceable, either by my companion or myself.

After beating about for some time, and extending our circle to the
distance of a hundred yards or so, we failed to recover the sign.
Certainly the barrow had not gone farth