"Mebbe be saw some kind uv a sign, an' has followed it," said the
shiftless one hopefully. "If anything looked mysterious an'
troublesome, Jim would want to hunt it down."

"I hope so," said Henry, "but we've got to go back to the camp
now and report failure. Perhaps he'll show up to-morrow, but I
don't like it, Sol, I don't like it!"

"No more do I," said Shif'less Sol. "'Tain't like Jim not to
come back, ef he could. Mebbe he'll drop in afore day, anyhow."

They returned to the camp, and two inquiring figures rose up out
of the darkness.

"You ain't seen him?" said Tom, noting that but two figures had
returned.

"Not a trace," replied Henry. "It's a singular thing."

The four talked together a little while, and they were far from
cheerful. Then three sought sleep, while Henry stayed on watch,
sitting with his back against a tree and his rifle on his knees.
All the peace and content that be had felt earlier in the evening
were gone. He was oppressed by a sense of danger, mysterious and
powerful. It did not seem possible that Long Jim could have gone
away in such a noiseless manner, leaving no trace behind. But it
was true.

He watched with both ear and eye as much for Long Jim as for an