readiness to shoot. Was it possible, he wondered, for any war party of
their enemies to have ventured so near Powhatan's stronghold without
having been halted at other villages belonging to his people? Pocahontas
too was on her feet, her head on one side, listening intently.

Again came the scream, then Nautauquas loosened his bow, saying:

"That is no human cry. It is a wildcat in agony. Let us go and see what
aileth it."

They ran swiftly towards the point from which the sound had come. Again
came the cry to guide them, and then there was silence as they ran
through the moonlight checkered by the shadows of the trees.

Nautauquas stood still suddenly, so suddenly that Pocahontas behind him
could not stop quickly enough and fell against him and almost down into
a ravine that lay beneath, but Nautauquas caught her on the very brink.

"It is down there," he pointed; "there must be a trap, I think. Let us
descend very carefully."

They clambered down through the darkness made by the overhanging bushes
and rocks. At the bottom the light was not obscured, and they beheld the
striped body of a large wildcat caught in a trap.

"Look," cried Pocahontas excitedly, "there is another beast just there
in those bushes. Our coming must have frightened it. He has been trying
to kill the one in the trap, that cannot defend himself."

"That is so," assented Nautauquas, making ready to shoot the beast that