he shoulder； the eye to glance down the barrel； the finger to pull the trigger； and the unerring bullet to leap forth。
〃Henry； you give the word as usual；〃 said Shif'less Sol。
Henry nodded。
Presently in the darkness they heard the pattering of light feet； and they saw many gleaming eyes draw near。 There must have been at least thirty of the wolves； and the five figures that they saw reclining； silent and motionless； against the unburned portion of the house might well have been those of the dead and scalped； whom they had found in such numbers everywhere。 They drew near in a semicircular group； its concave front extended toward the fire； the greatest wolves at the center。 Despite many feastings； the wolves were hungry again。 Nothing had opposed them before； but caution was instinctive。 The big gray leaders did not mind the night or the wind or the rain； which they had known all their lives； and which they counted as nothing； but they always had involuntary suspicion of human figures； whether living or not； and they approached slowly； wrinkling back their noses and sniffing the wind which blew from them instead of the five figures。 But their confidence increased as they advanced。 They had found many such burned houses as this； but they had found nothing among the ruins except what they wished。
The big leaders advanced more boldly； glaring straight at the human figures； a slight froth on their lips； the lips themselves curling back farther from the strong white teeth。 The outer ends of the concave semicircle also drew in。 The whole pack was about to spring upon its unresisting prey； and it is； no doubt； true that many a wolfish pulse beat a little higher in anticipation。 With a suddenness as startling as it was terrifying the five figures raised themselves； five long； dark tubes leaped to their shoulders； and with a suddenness that was yet more terrifying； a gush of flame shot from five muzzles。 Five of the wolves…and they were the biggest and the boldest； the leaders…fell dead upon the ashes of the charred timbers； and the others； howling their terror to the dark； skies； fled deep into the forest。
Henry strode over and pushed the body of the largest wolf with his foot。
〃I suppose we only gratified a kind of sentiment in shooting those wolves；〃 he said； 〃 but I for one am glad we did it。〃
〃So am I；〃 said Paul。
〃Me； too；〃 said the other three together。
They went back to their positions near the wall； and one by one fell asleep。 No more wolves howled that night anywhere near them。
When the five awakened the next morning the rain had ceased； and a splendid sun was tinting a blue sky with gold。 Jim Hart built a fire among the blackened logs； and cooked venison。 They had also brought from Fort Penn a little coffee； which Long Jim carried with a small coffee pot in his camp kit； and everyone had a small tin cup。 He made coffee for them； an uncommon wilderness luxury； in which they could rarely indulge； and they were heartened and strengthened by it。
Then they went again up the valley； as beautiful as ever； with its silver river in the center； and its green mountain walls on either side。 But the beauty was for the eye only。 It did not reach the hearts of those who had seen it before。 All of the five loved the wilderness； but they felt now how tragic silence and desolation could be where human life and all the daily ways of human life had been。
It was mid…summer； but the wilderness was already reclaiming its own。 The game knew that man was gone； and it had come back into the valley。 Deer ate what had grown in the fields and gardens； and the wolves were everywhere。 The whole black tragedy was written for miles。 They were never out of sight of some trace of it； and their anger grew again as they advanced in the blackened path of the victorious Indians。
It was their purpose now to hang on the Indian flank as scouts and skirmishers； until an American army was formed for a campaign against the Iroquois； which they were sure must be conducted sooner or later。 Meanwhile they could be of great aid； gathering news of the Indian plans； and； when that army of which they dreamed should finally march； they could help it most of all by warning it of ambush； the Indian's deadliest weapon。
Everyone of the five had already perceived a fact which was manifest in all wars with the Indians along the whole border from North to South； as it steadily shifted farther West。 The practical hunter and scout was always more than a match for the Indian； man for man； but； when the raw levies of settlers were hastily gathered to stem invasion； they were invariably at a great disadvantage。 They were likely to be caught in ambush by overwhelming numbers； and to be cut down； as had just happened at Wyoming。 The same fate might attend an invasion of the Iroquois country； even by a large army of regular troops； and Henry and his comrades resolved upon doing their utmost to prevent it。 An army needed eyes； and it could have none better than those five pairs。 So they went swiftly up the valley and northward and eastward； into the country of the Iroquois。 They had a plan of approaching the upper Mohawk village of Canajoharie； where one account says that Thayendanegea was born； although another credits his birthplace to the upper banks of the Ohio。
They turned now from the valley to the deep woods。 The trail showed that the great Indian force； after disembarking again； split into large parties； everyone loaded with spoil and bound for its home village。 The five noted several of the trails； but one of them consumed the whole attention of Silent Tom Ross。
He saw in the soft soil near a creek bank the footsteps of about eight Indians； and； mingled with them； other footsteps； which he took to be those of a white woman and of several children； captives； as even a tyro would infer。 The soul of Tom； the good； honest； and inarticulate frontiersman； stirred within him。 A white woman and her children being carried off to savagery； to be lost forevermore to their kind！ Tom； still inarticulate； felt his heart pierced with sadness at the tale that the tracks in the soft mud told so plainly。 But despair was not the only emotion in his heart。 The silent and brave man meant to act。
〃Henry；〃 he said； 〃see these tracks here in the soft spot by the creek。〃
The young leader read the forest page； and it told him exactly the same tale that it had told Tom Ross。
〃About a day old； I think；〃 he said。
〃Just about；〃 said Tom； 〃an' I reckon； Henry； you know what's in my mind。〃
〃I think I do；〃 said Henry； 〃 and we ought to overtake them by to…morrow night。 You tell the others； Tom。〃
Tom informed Shif'less Sol； Paul； and Long Jim in a few words； receiving from everyone a glad assent； and then the five followed fast on the trail。 They knew that the Indians could not go very fast； as their speed must be that of the slowest； namely； that of the children； and it seemed likely that Henry's prediction of overtaking them on the following night would come true。
It was an easy trail。 Here and there were tiny fragments of cloth； caught by a bush from the dress of a captive。 In one place they saw a fragment of a child's shoe that had been dropped off and abandoned。 Paul picked up the worn piece of leather and examined it。
〃I think it was worn by a girl；〃 he said； 〃and； judging from its size； she could not have been more than eight years old。 Think of a child like that being made to walk five or six hundred miles through these woods！〃
〃Younger ones still have had to do it；〃 said Shif'less Sol gravely； 〃an' them that couldn't…well； the tomahawk。〃
The trail was leading them toward the Seneca country； and they had no doubt that the Indians were Senecas； who had been more numerous than any others of the Six Nations at the Wyoming battle。 They came that afternoon to a camp fire beside which the warriors and captives had slept the night before。
〃They ate bar meat an' wild turkey；〃 said Long Jim； looking at some bones on the ground。
〃An' here；〃 said Tom Ross； 〃on this pile uv bushes is whar the women an' children slept； an' on the other side uv the fire is whar the warriors lay anywhars。 You can still see how the bodies uv some uv 'cm crushed down the grass an' little bushes。〃
〃An' I'm thinkin'；〃 said Shif'less Sol； as he looked at the trail that led away from the camp fire； 〃that some o' them little ones wuz gittin' pow'ful tired。 Look how these here little trails are wobblin' about。〃
〃Hope we kin come up afore the Injuns begin to draw thar tomahawks；〃 said Tom Ross。
The others were silent； but they knew the dreadful significance of Tom's remark； and Henry glanced at them all； one by one。
〃It's the greatest danger to be feared；〃 he said； 〃and we must overtake them in the night when they are not suspecting。 If we attack by day they will tomahawk the captives the very first thing。〃
〃Shorely；'； said the shiftless one。
〃Then；〃 said Henry； 〃 we don't need to hurry。 〃We'll go on until about midnight； and then sleep until sunrise。〃
They continued at a fair pace along a trail that frontiersmen far less skillful than they could have followed。 But a silent dread was in the heart of every one of them。 As they saw the path of the small feet staggering more and more they feared to behold some terrible object beside the path。
〃The trail of the littlest child is gone；〃 suddenly announced Paul。
〃Yes；〃 said Henry； 〃but the mother has picked it up and is carrying it。 See how her trail has suddenly grown more uneven。〃
〃Poor woman；〃 said Paul。 〃Henry； we're just bound to overtake that band。〃
〃We'll do it；〃 said Henry。
At the appointed time they sank down among the thickest bushes that they could find； and slept until the first upshot of dawn。 Then they resumed the trail； haunted always by that fear of finding something terrible beside it。 But it was a trail that continually grew slower。 The Indians themselves were tired； or； feeling safe from pursuit； saw no need of hurry。 By and by the trail of the smallest child reappeared。
〃It feels a lot better now；〃 said Tom Ross。 〃So do I。〃
They came to another camp fire； at which the ashes were not yet cold。 Feathers were scattered ab