r, that we had now done
with them and should the next night be able to sleep in peace. Again we
continued on until it was nearly dark, when we formed camp in as
sheltered a position as we could find.

Of course our trail would show the way we had taken, and, should the
Indians be so disposed, they might follow us. The only question was
whether they could or could not take us by surprise. We had,
fortunately, enough meat for supper, but we agreed that it would be
necessary to hunt the next day at all risks. When, however, we came to
examine our powder horns, we found that we had scarcely more than a
couple of charges each. It would be impossible therefore to defend
ourselves, should we be again attacked, and a difficult task to obtain
game sufficient to last us to the end of the journey. We had
fortunately a good supply of bear's meat, which, as Dick observed, "went
a long way;" but our Indian friends were voracious feeders and it was
necessary to give them as much as they wanted. Our chief hope now of
obtaining food was that we might come across some buffalo which our
Indians would be able to shoot with their bows and arrows: at all
events, having already escaped so many dangers, we determined to keep up
our spirits and not to be cast down by the difficulties in the way.

As our Indians had been on the watch the previous night, we undertook to
keep guard this night, two at a time. Charley and I were to be
together.

What the captain called "the middle watch" was over, when we mounted
guard, Charley on the horses, I on the camp. Just then the moon, in its
last quarter, rose above the horizon, shedding a pale light over the
prairie. We had been on foot a couple of hours and I was hoping that it
would soon be time to rouse up my companions and commence the day's
march, when Charley came to me.

"Look there!" he said, "I fancy that I can make out some objects in the
distance, but whether they are prairie wolves or men I am not quite
certain. If they are Indians, the sooner we secure the horses the
better. If they are wolves they can do us no great harm. We will
awaken our friends, at all events!"

I quickly, in a low voice, called up all hands; and each man, without
standing on his feet, crept towards his horse. In a few seconds we had
secured the whole of them.

"Now!" cried Dick, "mount and away." No sooner were the words uttered,
than we sprang into our saddles. As we did so a loud shout saluted ou