The Keepers of the Trail

est and canebrake stretched in countless miles, the trees, infinite in variety, and great in size, showing that Nature had worked here with the hand of a maste

elonging to the native of the forest who knows that danger is always near. His eyes pierced the foliage, and would have

eathing the fresh, crisp air, with a delight that only such as he could feel. Mighty was the wilderness, majestic in its

ngs and moccasins alike adorned with rows of little beads. Fitting thus so completely into his environment, the ordinary eye would not have o

the forest, rolling away and away to every horizon. He was a fortunate human being who had come into his own kingdom, one in wh

s and he knew by contrast the kind of tree that bore them. His eye fell upon the tanager, and the deep, intense scarlet of its plumage gave him pleasure. It seem

like the voice of a human being. Henry liked it, too, although he knew the bird was flinging him a pretty defiance.

at him with a challenging, red eye. Henry gave back his look, and laughed in the silent manner of the bo

ng a silver streak in the air, gone in an instant as he fell back into the stream. The glimpse pleased Henry. It,

their winter in the south. He had seen the huge flights before, but the freshness and zest of the sight never wore away. No matter how far they came nor how far they went they would still be flying over his forest empire.

ent a little way down the slope and his moccasins made no sound in the grass. Gently pulling aside the bough of a sheltering bush he s

a little lake. But as Henry saw, they were going to raise the dam higher, and they were working with the intelligence and energy that belong so pecul

illed the beaver now and then-the cap upon his head was made of its skin-but only when it was needful. The

ess and judgment that he was willing to see and learn from them. He felt, in a sense, that they were comrade

a black bear, big in frame, but yet lean from the winter, ran from its lair in the bushes, stopped a moment at fifty or sixty yards to look hard at him

e noise that he would find buffaloes there, and they numbered about a dozen, grazing a while, and then breathing heavily in content. He had seen them in countless herds on the

abitants of his wilderness, splendid creatures, with their leonine manes and huge shoulders, beasts of which any monarch might

middle of the glade toward the edge of the forest the mother would push it back. Henry, studying the woods there, saw just within

e the calf persistently sought the woods, probably for shade. Presently the leader of the herd, an immense bull, almost black, caught an odor, wheeled li

he middle of the glade, with his elders as a wall around him. Henry smiled. He had foreseen the result, and it was wholly to

stag did not know that he had no cause to dread him, but Henry admired his speed. A flock of wild turkeys rose from a bough above his head, and uttering preliminary go

r would make a try there some day for honey. Then he stopped and looked at a tiny blue flower, just blooming in the shelter of a bush. He examined i

r a little while, he undressed, laid his rifle and other weapons on the very edge of the bank, where he could reach them in an in

heard far. It was glorious there in the water, and he was loath to leave it. He lay on his back, f

he last of the myriads on the edge of the northern horizon. But there was a sudden flash of black across the blue, and a hawk shot down into the forest. A bald eagle sailed in slow ma

good, and he was glad that he had taken the risk. He was aware that the forest contained inhabitants much more dangerous than thos

Sol Hyde, Long Jim Hart and Tom Ross, who were not far away in the greenwood, the five, since the repulse of the great attack upon the wagon train, continuing their chosen duties as keepers

ngerous for the white people, because the Indians, unhampered by their women and children, came only with chosen bands of warriors, selected for supreme skill in battle and forest lore. No seekers of new homes ever faced greate

as doing a much greater work than when he was felling trees, and helping to clear a place for crops. As for himself he would never have cut down a single tree, although there were millions and millions of them. Nat

ite crossing of the savages, and that was why he and his comrades were in this region. He increased his speed, settling into the long swinging gait which the scouts

ing inward and hence made by an Indian. Other imprints must be near, but, for a little while, he would not look, remaining crouched in the thicket. He wished to be sure before he moved that no wearer of a mocca

ant danger in vast forests, and, like the animal that hides, his figure and dress blended completel

although he believed that they had been made by a hunting party. It was customary for the Indians on their great raids to detach a number of men who would

et he made his way through it almost without slackening speed, and came to a grove of oaks, so large and so dense that the sunlight never entered there. He stopped at its

ever seen. Some peculiar quality of the soil, some fertilizing agency beneath had given them an unparalleled growth.

the unknowing would have passed it unseen. But he called and his four comrades answered

n it and the ground was warm and dry. Just beyond the far edge a little spring g

he stock of his rifle resting on the ground, the customary attitude of

anything, Hen

less Sol. "Did you ever know the time when

Jim. "You're always talkin' too much, Sol. Why did you wa

a long time, 'cause I know so much that I can't git it all out between sunrise an' sunset, an' the hou

an' it never has a

can he ever tell us anything, when you two are

saved him much breath. Besides, Tom was contented. He knew that if Henry had found

aid Henry. "I've walked a

e carried and Henry, sitting down in the circular ope

at length, waving his

" asked Sh

band, either Miamis or Shawnees. Perhaps Y

e shiftless one. "They

id Tom Ross, speakin

" said Paul, "to see th

tiful hair as mine. I've heard that a big prize fur my scalp has been offered to all the Injun nati

that band," said Tom Ross.

hat. I'm quite sure it was made by hunters sent out for buffalo or deer to feed the main band. There

up to our rifle barrels, an' ef it wuzn't fur the danger I'd like

'in' the world," said Shif'less Sol, "but I

. The main band, whatever its size or wherever it is, seems to have plenty of flankers and hunters

Shif'less Sol, and the

e about the cup that no one fifteen yards away could see them, and they were able to hear even a creeping warrior, before he could come that near.

hining blue sky, continually crossed by tiny white clouds, following one another in a regular procession from south to north. The majesty of the wilderness

less Sol because it was always unfolding to him some new wonder, Tom Ross because it was a hunting ground without limit

an extraordinary power over voice and nerves. Like a Hindu, a man could lie silent and motionless for hours. In this respect they had the quality of the Indian and the f

ut it was almost as bright in the cup as ever, while the sky itse

all the little clouds are white, and this sadder color has no busi

an watching, opened his eyes and stared

nd now comes from the south it, too, is tr

e bigger patch o' gray followin' the first, a

. Read the boo

woods are too green to burn. Thar ain't no white people in these parts 'cept ourselves an' ef thar wuz they wouldn't be so foolish ez to build a fire that sends up smoke. So it's bound to be Injuns. They're a big band, so big that they ain't afeard o' bein'

last d

good logic

gic?" aske

ur rifle and shoot him through the heart, you feel quite sure when he drops de

ow," said Long Jim

how far from us is the f

lly at the little gray clouds. "But I reckon them two thar wuz broke off from a much bigger piece at the

say. We'd better look 'em

ay. You're the

be mighty careful. I've an idea that the woods are ful

Shif'less Sol. "Slim an' nigh on to six feet and a half tall h

ng Jim, "thar wouldn't be much burnin',

e-fur cookin' too, 'cause they don't need it to warm by. The hunters must hev brought in a power o' game, '

, who was wont to think about origins and causes. "He was ne

anner that they could be pushed forward at once, and listened with all their ears. Henry had heard a light footfall, and then the faint

r men, the upper parts of their bodies being completely hidden by the foliage. Henry knew, nevertheless, that they were three Indians and one white man. The

Once he passed ahead of the three Indians, and then he dropped behind. If a captive, he would have

ness. There was a rigidity and tension that strong men walking easily would not have shown. Unquestionably

o his side. "Don't you remember that he had jest the faintest bit o' bow in

der what his wicked mind is devisin

o our people down below," said the shiftl

ee Shawnees were passing. Henry and Sol knew that they were Shawnees, because

r right squar' through his black heart, ez I could do easy, I'd be sav

w I can't see a man shot from ambush. Besides, it would gi

ed to do it, but it'

it's silence and

ong whoop from another point answered. They were not war cries, merely signals, and the five appreciated more than ever the invi

the forest, and then the faint

wift intuition. "Maybe they have s

e struck an unguarded settlement, and, returning, might be here now with the great band, bearing the

do," he said, "but

on their elbows, again relying more upon ear than eye. They relax

ing wind sang among the green young leaves. A vast red sun hanging low over the western wilderness tinged the forest, as if with fire. To an ordinary human being it would have been an awful

monly red sun,

le," said Paul, who had read

may mean a storm, but I reckon in this case it'

in the heavens were glorious terraces of blue and pink. The boughs

Paul, for whom its

's fading,"

world is coming up

im, "when with your own eyes you kin see

l around ourselves every day and night. At the end of the day the earth is betwee

u say, but you can't make me believe a thing like that. Don't I see the sun set, an' do

idden behind the turning earth, leaving great bands of gold and blue and pink,

the edge of the cup. Meanwhile, full night came, and