"I ought to have waded into that bunch, long ago," thought he. "We both ought to have. What it's all about, who could tell? But it's an outrage against the night itself, against the world, even dead though it be. If it hadn't been for wasting good ammunition for nothing--!" A curious, guttural whine, down there in the forest, attracted his attention. Over to the window he strode, and once again peered down. A change had come upon the scene, a sudden, radical change. No more the sounds of combat rose; but now a dull, conclamant murmur as of victory and preparation for some ghastly rite. Already in the center of the wood, hard by the spring, a little fire had been lighted. Even as Stern looked, dim, moving figures heaped on wood. The engineer saw whirling droves of sparks spiral upward; he saw dense smoke, followed by a larger flame. And, grouped around this, already some hundreds of the now paling torches cast their livid glare. Off to one side he could just distinguish what seemed to be a group engaged in some activity--but what this might be, he could not determine. Yet, all at once a scream of pain burst out, therefrom; and then a gasping cry that ended quickly and did not come again. Another shriek, and still a third; and now into the leaping flames some dark, misshapen things were flung, and a great shout arose. Then rose, also, a shrill, singsong whine; and suddenly drams roared, now with a different cadence. "Hark!" said the engineer. "The torchmen must have exterminated the other bunch, and got possession of the drums. They're using 'em, themselves--and badly!" By the firelight vague shapes came and went, their shadows grotesquely flung against the leafy screens. The figures quickened their paces and their gestures; then suddenly, with cries, flung themselves into wild activity. And all about the fire, Stern saw a wheeling, circling, eddying mob of black and frightful shapes. "The swine!" he breathed. "Wait--wait till I make a pint or two of Pulverite!" Even as he spoke, the concourse grew quiet with expectancy. A silence fell upon the forest. Something was being led forward toward the fire--something, for which the others all made way. The wind freshened. With it, increased the volume of smoke. Another frightened bird, cheeping forlornly, fluttered above the tree-tops. Then rose a cry, a shriek long-drawn and ghastly, that climbed till it broke in a bubbling, choking gasp. Came a sharp clicking sound, a quick scuffle, a grunt; then silence once more. And all at once the drums crashed; and the dance began again, madder, more obscenely hideous than ever. "Voodoo!" gulped Stern. "Obeah-work! And--and the quicker I get my Pulverite to working, the better!"