Part 29 (1/2)

Now he followed the traces with renewed strength and speed, and he found that they came more closely together, a fact indicating the absence of Indians from the immediate region, as the four would not leave so broad a trail, unless they knew it would not bring a strong force of Indians upon them. Straight now it led, and he crossed numerous frozen streams and pools or lagoons, and then the night that he felt sure was to be the last one came, as bitterly cold as ever.

The next morning he did not put out his fire as usual, instead he built it up higher, and, pa.s.sing one of the blankets rapidly back and forth over it, sent up ring after ring of smoke. They did not thin away and vanish until they were high in the clear, intensely cold blue sky.

When his eyes had followed the rings a little while he turned them toward the eastern horizon and watched there closely. Despite all the efforts of his will his heart throbbed hard. Would the answer come? He waited a full half hour, and then his pulses gave a great leap. Rings of smoke began to rise there under the sky's rim a full mile away, ascending like his own into the cold air, where, high up, they thinned away and vanished. Then his pulses gave another great leap as a second series of rings rose close beside the first, to be followed quickly by a third and a fourth. Four fires and four groups of smoke rings rising into the air! The last doubt disappeared. Paul, the s.h.i.+ftless one, the silent one, and Long Jim were there. Doubtless they had signaled before, and now at last he had called to them.

In his wild exultation he kicked the coals of his own fire apart and started swiftly toward the four groups of smoke rings. On his way he sent forth a long thrilling cry that pierced and echoed far through the wintry forest, and like the distant song of a bugle a similar cry came back. As he broke into a run, four human figures appeared upon the crest of a low hill and burst into a simultaneous shout. Then they exclaimed, also together:

”Henry!”

After that, although their emotion was deep, they made no great show of it. The border was always terse.

”I knowed you'd shake 'em off, Henry,” said the s.h.i.+ftless one.

”But it must have been a long chase,” said Paul.

”Wish I'd been with you,” said Long Jim.

”Big work,” said Tom Ross.

”I didn't do it all my myself,” said Henry. ”I was helped by the people of the forest. They came to my aid again and again.”

Paul looked at him wondering, and Henry told them how he had been warned by the animals one after another, and he could not believe it was mere chance.

”The woods are full o' strange things,” said s.h.i.+f'less Sol, thoughtfully. ”An' I never try to explain 'em all to myse'f. I let 'em go fur what they are.”

”How has it been with all of you?” asked Henry.

”We stayed a long time on the oasis in the swamp,” replied Paul, ”and then we started toward the north, hanging on to the rear of the pursuit, and trying for a chance to help you, though we never found it. At last the great cold made us seek shelter, but we were sure it would compel the warriors to abandon the chase and drive them into their villages.”

”After all, it was King Winter that intervened finally in my behalf.”

”That's true. And while we were hovering about, hoping to help you, we left the long trail which I suppose you saw.”

”Yes, I came upon it, and it led me to you.”

”An' now,” said s.h.i.+f'less Sol, ”sence all the warriors hev been drove into winter quarters, an' none o' us hez been killed or took, s'pose we go into them kind a' quarters ourselves, an' keep warm.”

”Whar?” asked Silent Tom.

”Why, our old hollow in the cliff!” exclaimed Paul. ”The warriors would not think of marching against it again before next spring, if at all, and it's the warmest, safest and finest place in all the wilderness.”