horse they cannot master, or no spot to which a horse may be
guided that they do not know. But here first. That is why the store of
food and cloths. At the first assault upon our Muck-otey-pokee, mount
and ride. Ride as no squaw nor papoose ever rode before. Here the
Black Partridge will seek them, and here, if the Great Spirit wills,
they may be safe. Enough. Let the Dark-Eye go forward and make the
horses ready."

The Black Partridge rose as he spoke, and striding toward the sleeping
Sun Maid, took her in his arms and left the spot. Gaspar, already
darting onward toward the beloved Tempest, paused, for an instant, and
regarded his chief anxiously. But when he saw that the little girl had
not awakened, he sped forward again, and by the time Wahneenah had
disposed of the remnants of the chief's supper and followed, he had
loosed the animals and led them to the nearest point for mounting.

Still holding the Sun Maid motionless upon his breast, the Black
Partridge leaped to the back of his own magnificent stallion, which
whinnied in affectionate welcome of his approach. Then he ordered
Gaspar:

"Ride behind me on Tempest, and lead the Snowbird. Wahneenah will
follow all on Chestnut."

By the time they were out upon the prairie the wind had risen and the
sky was heavily clouded. It was so dark that the boy could not see
beyond the head of his own horse, but he could hear the steady,
grass-softened footfall of the stallion as, with unerring directness,
the Indian chieftain led the way homeward to the village.

When they rode into it, all Muck-otey-pokee seemed asleep; but the
perennially young, though still venerable, Snake-Who-Leaps, had been
prone before Wahneenah's wigwam, and silently rose from the ground as
they drew rein beside him.

"Ah, the Sleepless! The Wise Man. Did he think his pupils had ridden
away to their own destruction?" asked the squaw, as she stepped down
from her saddle.

"No harm can happen the household of my chief save what the Great
Spirit wills."

"And you think He will not waste time with three wild runaways?"

"Wahneenah, the Happy, is in good spirit herself. I remembered her
not, save as the message may concern. That is for the ear of my friend
and the father of his tribe, the Black Partridge."

Handing the Sun Maid into his sister's embrace, he for whom the
message waited slipped the bridles of two horses over his arm while
the Snake-Who-Leaps led the others. Whatever they had to s