The Young Trailers

revulsion had come. Safe, for the moment, after their recent run for life, it seemed to them that they were safe for all

rks burst forth, as a bough into which the flames had eaten deep, broke and fell to the ground; but fear had gone from the lads, and, in

sopher. "I guess a fellow's life looks best to him just

far horizon, where the red blur still showed under the

appeal to him. Paul, without Henry, would have felt loneliness and fear, but Henry alone, woul

en enough, Pa

I'm afraid I can't find a plac

lderness, which spoke to him in such pleasant tones. He heard a faint sighing, like some one lightly plucking the strings of a guitar, and he knew that it was the wandering breeze among the burned boughs; he heard now and then a distant thud, and he knew that it was

wilderness was not talking to him. He was merely in the woods and he w

e himself Paul began to feel a little fear. He was a brave boy, but this was the wilderness, the wilderness in the dark, peopled by wild animals and perhaps by wilder men, and they were lost in it. He moved a little closer to his comrade. But Henry

tlemen like ourselves who have had a day of hard toil shou

n inn, worthy of our great merits, and of our high position in life. This, you see, Mr. Ware, is the Kaintuckee Inn, a most spacious

is indeed a noble place. We are not troubled by any guest, beneat

e have chosen. I have seldom been in one more spacious. My eyes are good, but good as they are I cannot see the

is furnished most beautifully. I do not know of another that has in it so good a larder. Its great specialty is game. It has

ok that ran near, and drank heartily. Th

s down upon the soft warm earth, pillowing their heads on their arms, a

land aisles where the fire had passed. The disaster had come and gone, and perhaps it was already out of their memories forever. Rabbits timidly sought their old nests. A wild cat climbed a tree, scarcely yet cool beneath his claws, and looked with red and staring eyes at the ring of fire that for

y dared, and gazed at the singular beings who lay inside the red blaze. The wild cat crawled far out on the bare bough, and stared, half afraid, half curious, and also angry at the intrusion. He could see over the red blaze and he saw the boys

eathed all the burned forest in gleaming silver. But the boys were still far away in a happy slumberl

ut the night, and now the flames died, one by one. Then the coals smoldered and after a while they too began to go out, one b

carcely see the two strange beings, keen though his eyes were, so dense was the shadow where they lay. The wild things, still devoured with curiosity, pressed nearer. The terrible red light tha

d, but the ring of eyes drew back into the forest, and then, when the quaver came a second time, the rabbits and the deer fled, not to return. The lips of the wild cat contracted into a snarl

distant quaver, like a whine, but with something singularly ferocious in its note came again on the wind, and, far away, a score of forms, phantom

t yet awake, but the minute hand was quivering, and through all his wonderfully sensitive organism ran the note of alarm. He stirred again and then abruptly sat up, his eyes wide open, and his whole frame tense with a new and terrible sensation. He saw the dead coals,

d. "The fire is out, an

's, and he did not understand at once. He was still dazed, and

cried. "Another enemy as ba

preading out low and mighty boughs, and He

y after him and as they climbed higher among the boughs the ferocious whine burst into a long terrible howl, and the du

a bough tightly with one hand put the other upon his comrade to s

b, each breathed a silent prayer of thankfulness. They had been just in time to escape a pack of wolves that howled horribly for a whil

ength sai

had been left to me to wake up first I'd have woke u

elf over what was past and gone, "and I think this is a mighty fine beech tree. I kno

d, now with

iss you right in the middle of your honest barky old forehead," and he touched his lips lightly to the great trunk. Paul

aid Henry, "and we've been lucky enou

an't get us," said Paul, "and then we can climb dow

hook hi

sure as a wolf can be that we will drop right into their mouths, just ready and anxious to be

met his, and held him as if he were charmed. The wolf began to whine a

ul!" Henry c

s away, and shudder

sterically, "and I don't know how it w

ply. "Remember that your best friend just now is not Mr. Big Wolf, but

ly to forget

ad been able for a brief moment to draw him downward. Then he clasped

, "hold fast. I'd a heap rath

himself wi

said, "and I think that's good for

lert. Then the larger boy looked down at their besiegers, who were sitting in a solemn circle, gazing now at the two lads and now at the venison

onlight came out again, clear, and full, sheathing the scorched trunks once more in silver armor, and stretching great blankets of light on the burned and ashy earth. It fell too on the gaunt figures of the gray wolves, but the silent and deadly circle did not st

st, and they felt no fear. A shambling black bear, lumbering through the woods, suddenly threw up his nose in the wind, and catching the strong pungent odor, wheeled abru

atures, who stirred now and then in the tree, and who made queer sounds to each other. When they heard these occasional noises the pack would reply with a long ferocious whine that seemed to double on itself and give back echoes from every point of the compass. In the still night

ng-drawn howl grew longer and more ferocious than ever; the game, tired out, would soon drop into their mouths. But it did not, the two creatures made

lived in it. But to their sharp red eyes the dark was nothing; they saw the two beings in the tree do a very queer thing; they tore strips from themselves, so it seemed to the wolves, from their clothing in fact,

nto their mouths? The dread suspicion filled every vein of the old leader with wrath, and he uttered a long terrible howl of doubt and anger; the pack took up the note and the lonely forest became

shot into his heart, and his muscles began to grow weak. He saw afar in the east the first pale tinge, faint and gray, of the dreadfu

t red sun that swung now above the earth, shooting its fierce beams straight at him. The dark, so kindly and so encouraging, beloved of his kind, was gone, and the earth swam in a hideous light, every ray of which was hostile. His blood changed to water, his knees b

tering a long quavering howl of terror, which the pack took up and carried in many echoes, fled headlong through the forest with his followers close behind, a

y are gone, afraid of the sun, and

of Kaintuckee was not so hospitable after all, or

id Henry. "If we had obeyed all the rules of the i

d the wilderness witnessed the strange sight of two stout boys, running up and down, pounding and rubbing their hands and arms, uttering little cries

l be easy, as Mr. Landlord has kept the

t. His wonderful physical nature had cast away all thought of fear, but

hrough those hours we were up there it was a haunted forest for me. I don't want

nsitive mind, as a photographic plate takes light? To the keen nose of the old wol

hat he and Paul were different, and he respected those

he Kaintuckee Inn, and if the one we have doesn't suit us we'll just take anoth

to the wolves," said P

th and, without hesitation, they plunged into it. Henry was in front and suddenly to his keen ears came a sound which he knew was not one of the natural noises of the forest. He listened and it continued, a beat, faint but regular and steady. He knew t

sping his comrade by the shoulder he bore him d

whispered. "Men are about to pa

eself was becoming wonderfully acute of the senses and ready of action. The two boys crouched close together, their

he boys that Paul had felt his impulse to leave the vicinity of the besieged tree, because the course of the warriors would carry them very near it, and they co

he grim line was seen but a moment and then gone, though their dark painted faces long remained engraved, like pictures, on the minds of both. But to Pau

then to hunt, but they seldom stay long, for fear of the more warlike and powerful Northern Indian

ed Paul, "and I'm mighty glad of it. Do you think,

hook hi

me, and they've probably gone by without ever hearing of the place.

think, Henry, that you and I ought to go down to the

y calmly. "But we'll f

ngthened and encouraged after a hearty breakfast. Then