Not a felon was stirring, not even Kincaid;

The jailbirds were making their phone calls with care,

In hopes that their bailbondsmen soon would be there;

Blair Sandburg was nestled all snug in his bed,

While visions of college girls danced in his head,

And Jim in his boxers and favorite Jags cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When down on the street there arose such a clatter,

They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.

Away to the windows they flew in a rush,

Blair started to speak, but Jim warned him to hush.

The moon had gone down, but to Sentinel eye

The sun might as well have been up in the sky,

When what to their wondering gaze came to view,

But a panther with fur of a deep sable hue,

With green-golden eyes so staring and wide

Jim knew in a moment it must be his Guide.

As silent as snowfall more spirit guides came,

And Blair whistled and whispered and called them by name;

"That's Rabbit, that's Eagle, There's Lizard and Frog.

That's Bear--man, he's huge--Fox and Raven and Dog.

They're all over the street, and there's some on the wall!

I don't get it, Jim, how can we see them all?"

As woodsmoke that above a wild bonfire curls,

When it meets with a gust of strong wind twists and whirls,

So up to the roof-top the spirits did lift,

They followed the panther, whose flight was so swift.

And then, in a twinkling, they heard scraping claws

And the delicate tread of each animal's paws.

As they went back inside and were turning around,

Down the loft stairs Jim's Spirit Guide came with a bound.

His dark, shining fur coat began then to shrink,

And he stood up on two feet before they could think;

A quiver and bow he had slung on his back,

And he looked like Incacha, his face red and black.

His eyes--how they glinted! Warm brown was their shade.

His cheekbones were high, and his nose was a blade.

His generous mouth was drawn up in a smile,

And the pain in Jim's heart would not bow to a dial;

A pouch made of deerskin he held in his hand,

And a tattoo encircled his arm in a band;

From a braid in his hair hung a fluttering feather,

And all that he wore was a breechclout of leather.

He was slender and wiry, no taller than Blair,

And Jim wanted to hug him, but didn't quite dare;

A shift of his eye and a nod of his head,

Soon gave Jim to know there was much to be said;

Yet he spoke not a word, but went straight up to Blair,

Put one hand on his arm and laid one on his hair,

And placing in Blair's shaking fingers the pouch,

To morph back to the panther, he dropped in a crouch;

He sprang to the roof, to his fellows did growl,

And away they all flew with no more noise than Owl.

But Jim heard his soft voice, ere they passed out of sight,

"TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR GUIDE, HE IS ENQUERI'S LIGHT."