nd
travelling poorly. "They have been counselling now for two hours."

He glanced aside at me in apparent surprise.

"Why, boy, I thought you were bred to the border; and can you ask me
such a question? Do you observe nothing, like that fine gentleman
yonder? What have we been following since first we entered this
valley?"

"An old Indian trail."

"True," he exclaimed, "and one that has been traversed by a large
war-party, bound west, within twelve hours."

"How know you this?"

"By a hundred signs far plainer than print will ever be to my eyes. In
faith, I thought those fellows out yonder would have summoned me to
council long ere this, instead of threshing it out among themselves.
They are bolder warriors than I deemed, though they will doubtless
revolt in earnest when we camp. We shall have to guard them well
to-night."

As he paused, his eyes fixed anxiously upon our Indian allies, De Croix
began to hum a popular tune of the day, riding meanwhile, hat in hand,
with one foot out of the stirrup to beat the time. Then Jordan caught
up the refrain, and sang a verse. I saw one or two of the older
Indians glance around at him in grave displeasure.

"The young fools!" muttered Wells, uneasily. "I shall enjoy seeing if
that French popinjay keeps all of his fine airs when the hour for stern
work comes."

He lifted his voice.

"Jordan!"

The young soldier instantly ceased his song, and turned in his saddle
to glance back.

"The time has come when I must insist on less noise, and more decorum
upon the march," Wells said sternly. "This is not Fort Wayne, nor is
our road devoid of danger. Captain de Croix, I shall have to request
you also to cease your singing for the present."

There was that in his voice and manner which forbade remark, and we
rode on silently. I asked:

"But you have not explained to me how you learned all this of which you
spoke?"

"By the use of my eyes, of course. It is all simple; there are marks
beside the beaten trail, as well as in its track, which prove clearly
the party ahead of us to be moving westward, that it travelled rapidly,
and was certainly not less than a hundred strong, with ponies and
lodge-poles. Not more than a league back we passed the evidences of a
camp that had not been deserted longer than twelve hours; and when we
crossed the river, a feather from a war-bonnet was lying in the grass.
These are small details, yet they tell the story. That feather,