trail without a word and behind him came the whole regiment, implicit in
its trust, and winding without noise like a great coiling serpent through
the forest.

Dick was a woodsman himself, and he kept close to the sergeant, watching
his methods, and seeking also what he could find. While they lost the
trail now and then, he saw the sergeant recover it in the openings.
He noted, too, that it was increasing in size. Little trails were
flowing into the big one like brooks into a river, and the main course
was uniformly south, but bearing slightly upward on the slope.

The sergeant stopped at the melancholy cry of an owl, apparently three
or four hundred yards ahead. Both he and Dick raised their heads and
listened for the answer, which they felt sure was ready. The long,
sinister hoot in reply came from a point considerably farther away,
but at about the same height on the slope.

"They have two forces, sir," said the sergeant to Colonel Winchester,
"and I think they're about to unite."

"As a wilderness fighter, what would you suggest, Sergeant?"

"To wait here a little and lie hidden in the brush. We're rightly afraid
of an ambush if we go on, then why not make the same danger theirs?
I think it likely that the other force is coming this way. Anyway,
we can tell in a minute or two, 'cause them owls are sure to hoot again.
If I'm right, we can catch 'em napping."

"An excellent idea, Sergeant. Ah! there are the signals you predicted!"