The Border Watch

e and disappointment. A dozen shots were fired, but the bullets either flew over their heads or dropped short. The five did not take

. "It's lucky I found the silver sixpence in my pocket, or

Sol were now noting the heavens which had become more overcast. The clouds spread from the horizon to th

Let it come. It and all this b

lashes of lightning but when the rain came presently with a sweep, both th

e east and bear back toward the village. Nobody on earth can trail us in al

turned to the right. They walked on through dark woods, and came to a smoother country, troubled little by rocks and underbrush. The night was fully come, and the rain, that was still pouring out of a black sky, was cold. They had paid no attention to it before except for its concealment, but, as the

ail came with the rain, and it beat in their faces, slipped between the blankets and down their necks, making them shiv

l be so stiff in the morning we can't walk, and we'll be luck

r on, git dry clothing, eat a big supper, have a steaming hot drink apiece of something strong an' then crawl

the barrel uv my rifle. I'm cold enough an' wet enough already without you conjurin' up happy dreams an' things th

Jim, but a good man never gits any reward in this world, jest kicks. How I wish tha

ind some sort of she

ed. The rain grew lighter, and ceased, although the clouds remained, hiding the moon. But the whole forest was soaked. Water dripped from every twi

ightful thing to see more water. I've

ained on so much that the steam

t. "Shore ez you live tha

closely and his tone w

we're in luck, great luck. I

an' it ain't too almighty hot, why, we'll all take pleasant hot baths in it, go to

hand in the water which he

njoy these baths of Lucully right away. After my bath I'll wrap myself in

he water from the base of a hill formed a large pool, with a smooth b

time when it was so badly needed. The teeth of both Paul and Sol were chatterin

the shiftless one. "Paul has bragged of t

and soreness, caused by the rain and cold, departing from their bodies. A light wind was blowing, and their clothes, hung on boughs, were beginning already to

the baths o' Rome that Paul tells about wuz good in their day, which wuz a mighty long time ago, but not needin' 'em ez bad ez we did, meb

ong regular breathing.

Sol, sympathetically, "I

g Jim, "'cause I'm goin' to foll

s also fell asleep, all except Henry, who forced himself to keep awake, and who was also pondering the question of Timmendiquas. What were the great chief's plans?

soaked so thoroughly with water that it remained heavy with damp. The night was bright enough for hi

and found them all flexible. Then he watched until the first tinge of gray appeared in the east, keeping his eyes upon it, until it turned to sil

tter dress for br

hemselves anew, but breakfast was wholly lacking. They ha

d Shif'less Sol, "but jest when you want one m

ou find a hot spring you are pretty likely to find a

ed Paul, "we'll see the de

onin'," sai

small animals came down to drink at the healing salt spring, but the five did not pull a trigger. This was not the game they wanted, and they never killed wantonly. They were waiting for a fine fat deer, and they felt sure that he would come. A great yellow panther padded down to the spring, frightening everything else away and lapped the water g

drink. The five felt regret that so noble an animal must give his life for others, but hunger was hunger and in the wilderness there was no other way. By common consent they nodded towards Henry, who was the best shot, and he raised his rifle.

half hour Long Jim Hart, with all the skill and soul of a culinary artist was frying strips of deer meat over the coals that Shif'less S

s lingering about when I fired the rifle, because w

m, give me another strip. My appetite hez took a

ou eat my cookin'. The health an strength uv a lazy man like you who hez be

credit, Jim," said Shi

nthers. Then they began their journey toward the Wyandot village. Their misadventure and their long flight from the terrible hound had not discouraged th

tiful sunshine and a dry forest. Their precautions of the night before had served the

ess Sol. "I don't want to be tracked by any more dogs. Beside

ood watch for t

the North. With him would go the famous chiefs, Yellow Panther of the Miamis, and Red Eagle of the Shawnees, and the renegades, Simon Girty, Braxton Wyatt and Blackstaffe. They would have a retinue of a hundred warriors, chosen from the different tribes, but with precedence allotted to the

them carefully as they lay in a dense covert. So far they had not been able to discover anything that woul

gest British post in the West. The Indians get their arms and ammunition

' that ef Timmendiquas goes to Detroit he won't stop there. He's a big ma

e so," sa