He almost fancied he could hear the agonized squeaking of Tavish's pets.
* * * * * Straight northward, through the white moonlight of that night, Mukoki broke their trail, travelling at times so swiftly that the Missioner commanded him to slacken his pace on David's account.

Even David did not think of stopping.

He had no desire to stop so long as their way was lighted ahead of them.

It seemed to him that the world was becoming brighter and the forest gloom less cheerless as they dropped that evil valley of Tavish's farther and farther behind them.

Then the moon began to fade, like a great lamp that had burned itself out of oil, and darkness swept over them like huge wings.