Somewhere out in the forest, alone, were those
little ones whom none as yet had been able to find. The heavy rain had
completely obliterated every vestige of a trail. So the searchers, sad
and quiet, came in one after another, grieved and vexed at their
failure.

Mr Ross tried to induce Mrs Ross, with Minnehaha, to return to the
camp and obtain refreshment and rest, but she most positively refused.

"My children are out in the wild forest, exposed to many dangers. I
cannot go to bed until they are found," she passionately exclaimed.

So a great fire was built out of dry logs, blankets were sent for from
the tents, and the saddest and longest night to those terrified ones
slowly passed away. Mr Ross had not only sent for food and blankets
for all, but he had also dispatched swift runners to go by land and
water and cease not until they had found Mustagan and Big Tom and told
them of his loss and sorrow.

Soon after sunrise these grand old men walked into the camp. A hasty
council was summoned, and these old men closely questioned the Indians
who had been present the previous day, and who had searched until the
storm and darkness stopped them.

When they were told that a number of guns had been fired off in quick
succession they were much annoyed, and said:

"Great mistake. Lost children in the woods always hide when they hear
guns."

But no time must be lost. The country was to be marked out, and a code
of signals explained, by which they could communicate with each other,
as soon as any trail was found. Not in straight lines were they to go,
but in enlarging circles until they should cross the trail of the
children. When it was found, they were to report as speedily as
possible, that there might be a concentration from that point and thus
no waste in fruitless search.

Not until about noon was the first sign struck; then it was a number of
miles away from the camp. It is simply marvellous the distances that
lost persons, even little children, will travel. The clue discovered by
Big Tom was where the children had left the dry, rocky lands, which left
no trail of the little feet, and had crossed a small, shallow stream.
Here the sands were clearly marked by the little footsteps, and Tom's
big heart gave a great thump of joy as he saw the signs so clearly
indicated before him. At first he feared to fire the signal, lest he
should add to the terror of the lost children; but as soon as he
examined the f