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?”