THE EYES OF THE WOODS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE FLIGHT 1

II. THE GREAT JOKE 23

III. A MERRY NIGHT 45

IV. THE CAPTURED CANOE 67

V. THE PROTECTING RIVER 89

VI. THE OASIS 111

VII. INTO THE NORTH 130

VIII. THE BUFFALO RING 149

IX. THE COVERT 168

X. THE BEAR GUIDE 186

XI. THE GREATER POWERS 209

XII. THE STAG'S COMING 225

XIII. THE LEAPING WOLF 245

XIV. THE WATCHFUL SQUIRREL 266

XV. THE LETTER 286



CHAPTER I

THE FLIGHT


A strong wind swept over the great forest, sending green leaves and
twigs in showers before it, and bringing clouds in battalions from the
west. The air presently grew cold, and then heavy drops of rain came,
pattering at first like shot, but soon settling into a hard and steady
fall that made the day dark and chill, tingeing the whole wilderness
with gloom and desolation.

The deer sought its covert, a buffalo, grazing in a little prairie,
thrust its huge form into a thicket, the squirrel lay snug in its nest
in the hollow of a tree, and the bird in the shelter of the foliage
ceased to sing. The only sounds were those of the elements, and the
world seemed to have returned to the primeval state that had endured for
ages. It was the kingdom of fur, fin and feather, and, so far as the
casual eye could have seen, man had not yet come.

But in the deep cleft of the cliff, from which coign of vantage they had
fought off Shawnee and Miami, Henry Ware, Paul Cotter and Long Jim Hart
sat snug, warm and dry, and looked out at the bitter storm. Near them a
small fire burned, the smoke passing out at the entrance, and at the far
end of the hollow much more wood was heaped. There were five beds of dry
leaves with the blankets lying upon them, useful articles were stored in
the niches of the stone, and jerked meat lay upon the natural shelves.
It was a secret, but cheerful spot in that vast, wet and cold
wilderness. Long Jim felt its comfort and security, as he rose, put
another stick of wood on the fire, and then resumed his seat near the
others.

"I'm sorry the storm came up so soon," said Henry. "Of course, Sol and
Tom are hardened to all kinds of weather, but it's not pleasant to be
caught in the woods at such a time."

"And our ammunition," said Paul. "It wouldn't hurt the lead, of course,
but it would be a disaster for the powder to be soaked through and
through. They'd have to go back to the settlements, and that would mean
a long journey and a lot of lost time."

"I don't think we need be afraid about the powder," said Henry.
"Whatever happens, Sol and Tom will protect it, even if their own bodies
suffer."

"Then I'm thinkin' they'll have to do a lot of protectin'," said Long
Jim. "The wind is blowin' plum' horizontal, an' the rain is sweepin'
'long in sheets."

Henry, despite his consoling words, was very anxious. Since their great
battle with the invading Indian force and the destruction of the cannon,
their supply of ammunition had run very low, and without powder and
bullets they were lost in the wilderness. He walked to the narrow
entrance of the cave, and, standing just where the rain could not reach
him, looked out upon the cold and dripping forest, a splendid figure
clothed in deerskin, specially adapted in both body and mind to
wilderness life.