afraid. His eyes searched the thickets, but saw nothing. The
slight movement of the bushes was made by the wind, and no other
sound reached his ears.

But he might be mistaken after all! The most convincing
premonitions were sometimes wrong! He would give Tom ten minutes
more, and he sank down in a crouching position, where he would
offer the least target for the eye.

The appointed time passed, and neither sight nor sound revealed
any sign of Tom Ross. Then Henry awakened Shif'less Sol, and
whispered to him all that he had seen.

"Whatever took Jim and Paul has took him," whispered the
shiftless one at once.

Henry nodded.

"An' we're bound to look for him right now," continued Shif'less
Sol.

" Yes," said Henry, " but we must stay together. If we follow
the others, Sol, we must follow 'em together."

It would be safer," said Sol. " I've an idee that we won't find
Tom, an' I want to tell you, Henry, this thing is gittin' on my
nerves."

It was certainly on Henry's, also, but without reply he led the
way into the bushes, and they sought long and well for Silent