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 shiftless 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 Shif’less Sol, thoughtfully. “An’ I never try to explain ’em all to myse’f. I let ’em go fur what they are.”