id Sol, "but I reckon from the
talk that they are here. I was s'prised in the woods, Henry. A half
dozen reds jumped on me so quick I didn't have time to draw a weepin.
Timmendiquas was at the head uv 'em an' he just grinned. Well, he is a
great chief, if he did truss me up like a fowl. I reckon the same thing
happened to the others."

"Come closer, Sol! Come closer!" whispered Henry. "More warriors are
walking this way. The feast is breaking up, and they'll spread all
through the camp."

A terrible problem was presented to the two. They could no longer search
among the strong huts, for their comrades. The opportunity to save had
lasted long enough for one only. But border training is stern, and these
two had uncommon courage and decision.

"We must go now, Sol," said Henry, "but we'll come back."

"Yes," said the shiftless one, "we'll come back."

Darting between the huts, they gained the southern edge of the forest
before the satiated banqueters could suspect the presence of an enemy.
Here they felt themselves safe, but they did not pause. Henry led the
way, and Shif'less Sol followed at a fair degree of speed.

"You'll have to be patient with me for a little while, Henry," said
Sol in a tone of humility. "When I wuz layin' thar in the lodge with my
hands an' feet tied I wuz about eighty years old, jest ez stiff ez could
be from the long tyin'. When I reached the edge o' the woods the blood
wuz flowin' lively enough to make me 'bout sixty. Now I reckon I'm
fifty, an' ef things go well I'll be back to my own nateral age in two
or three hours."

"You shall have rest before morning," said Henry, "and it will be in a
good place, too. I can promise that."

Shif'less Sol looked at him inquiringly, but he did not say anything.
Like the rest of the five, Sol had acquired the most implicit confidence
in their bold young leader. He had every reason to feel good. That
painful soreness was disappearing from his ankles. As they advanced
through the woods, weeks dropped from him one by one. Then the months
began to roll away, and at last time fell year by year. As they
approached the deeps of the forest where the swamp lay, Solomon Hyde,
the so called shiftless one, and wholly undeserving of the name, was
young again.

"I've got a fine little home for us, Sol," said Henry. "Best we've had
since that time we spent a winter on the island in the lake. This is
littler, but it's harder to find. It'll be a fine thing to know y