No friendly voice greeted them.

The heads of Jim Hart and Shif'less Sol almost touched over a square of deerskin, at which both were looking intently.

With the supper ready, and nothing else to do, they had got out the chessmen, and were playing the rubber.

So absorbed were they that they neither heard nor saw.
"Now what under the sun is this ?" exclaimed Tom Ross.
"It's a game I taught 'em while you and Henry were gone," explained Paul.
"It's called chess." Shif'less Sol and Jim sprang up, but Sol quickly recovered his presence of mind.
"I jest about had him cornered, an' your comin' saved him," he said.
"Cornered!" said Jim Hart.

"He ain't even seed the day when he kin beat me!" The chessmen were put aside for the time, and five hungry beings ate as only borderers could eat.