"A July deer is in the red coat always."
"The deer you heard are red the whole year round."
"Eho! The Black-Snake understands."
"Very well. Tie your pack, sling it, and shoulder your rifle. We march immediately."
He seemed to be willing enough, and tied his points with alacrity. Nor could I, watching him as well I might in so dark a spot, see anything suspicious in any movement he made.
"The Sagamore leads," I said; "the Black-Snake follows; I follow him; after me the Mole; and the Oneidas close the rear.... Attention!... Trail arms! File!"
And as we climbed out of our pulpit and descended over the moss to the soundless carpet of moist leaves:
"Silence," I said. "A sound may mean the death of us all. Cover your rifle-pans with your blankets. No matter what happens, no man is to fire without orders——"
I stopped abruptly and laid my hand on the Black-Snake's hatchet-sheath, feeling it all over with my finger-tips in the dark.
"Damnation!" I said. "There are tin points on the fringe! You might better wear a cow-bell! Where did you get it?"