that tribe. "There, away where the sun sets, over the Medicine
Bow Mountains, they are. They have conquered the Crows and taken them
alive, with the pale faces, prisoners, to their village."

"We must follow them. We may overtake them, for evidently, the fight
occurred this morning," said Mr. Duncan.

"Is my brother mad, that he thinks to compel a great nation to give up
its prisoners, with a handful of warriors?" interposed Whirlwind.

"Can you think I would desert my children?" said Mr. Duncan, in a
severe tone. "No! we white men are made of sterner stuff than that. I
will save them, or die with them."

"If my white brother is brave Whirlwind is braver," returned the
Chieftain. "What you would attempt and fail to accomplish by force, I
will accomplish by stratagem. Let my white brother return, and leave
the recovery of the children to me."

"Never!" replied Mr. Duncan, decidedly. "My children are prisoners, in
the power of merciless foes, and until I recover them, I will never
again turn my back on their path."

"My brother has spoken, but has not spoken well," said the chief.

"We will lose no time in delay--an hour may be of the utmost
importance," was all the answer of Mr. Duncan.

At nightfall, as they were casting their eyes around for a good and
secure position to encamp in, they discovered smoke arising from a deep
ravine that lay below them.

"The camp-fire of the Tabagauches," said Whirlwind.

"Ha! we have overtaken them, at last," exclaimed the trapper. "We must
fall back to a secure covert, and send out scouts to see if they have
the children, and ascertain their numbers."

Selecting a pine grove, they secured their horses, and sat down to take
a lunch of cold bread and meat they had brought with them, not daring
to light a fire, knowing it would be a beacon to guide their foes to
their retreat. After resting a moment, a guard was posted, and Howe and
Whirlwind set out to ascertain the desired information respecting their
foes, while the rest of the party threw themselves on the ground to
take an hour's repose.

Chapter Sixth.

Strength of the Tabagauches. Attack of their camp. Flight of the
Whites. A Council. Pursuing the Indians. Desperate Engagement. Taken
Prisoners. Carried off Captives. Submission to their fate. A Curious
Dream. Singular Springs of Water. Kind treatment by the Indians.
Discovery of Gold. Displeasure of Whirlwind. His story of the early
white men. A herd of deer,