and should, I believe, have shot the Redskin also;
but I had no wish to take the poor wretch's life, though, for my own
safety, I determined to do so, should he again approach me. At that
moment, the sun coming out from behind a cloud, just above the horizon,
shone on a distant peak, which I had remarked from our camp. I had now
no doubt as to the direction I should take. In spite of the agony the
movement caused me, I put my horse into a gallop, leaving my late
antagonist to pursue his way unhindered, and steered my course towards
the north-west, where I hoped before long to discover my friends. The
sun, however, sunk before I had seen either them or the Indian wigwams.
Still the glow in the western sky guided me long after darkness had
crept over the open prairie. When that disappeared, I was again at a
loss how to keep a straight course. Throwing therefore the reins on my
horse's neck, I trusted to his instinct to lead me aright.

I had gone on for two hours in the darkness when, to my joy, I saw a
bright light ahead. It was that, I had little doubt, of our own camp
fire. I was not mistaken. In a short time Dick's cheery voice welcomed
me. He and my other companions had become anxious at my non-appearance.
I was almost falling from my horse, and could not have dismounted
without assistance. On telling them of my fight with the Coomanche,
Pierre immediately sent off to tell our Indian friends of my suspicions
that a party of their enemies were in the neighbourhood.

CHAPTER SIX.

Being fully satisfied that the Shianees would prove friendly and
staunch, we agreed to move our camp close to theirs, that we might the
better be able to withstand any attack which the Coomanches might
venture to make upon us. I managed, with the assistance of my friends,
to mount my horse so as to perform the short journey, though I suffered
a considerable amount of pain. We found Yellow Wolf and his braves
seated in council, to decide on a plan of operations against the enemy.
He expressed his gratitude for the warning I had given him, and
complimented me on the victory I had obtained over the Coomanche brave.
"Scouts have been sent out," he said, "to ascertain the position of the
enemy, but as yet no information has been received of their
whereabouts." He suspected that they were very numerous, or they would
not have ventured into that part of the country; but with our assistance
he had no doubt about his being able to